I Could Use A Wish Right Now
by Personal Riot
Summary: Rukia's family moved to get away from publicity and a secret that Rukia doesn't want a single person besides her brother and sister to know. When she meet's Ichigo she never thought a big headed brat like him would be her only exception.
1. Preface: I Could Use A Wish Right Now

I take one step forward

Why did this happen? I had barely began to see how perfect my life was turning out.

Another Step.

This man is not whom I love. He doesn't know of me and my horrid past.

More Steps.

My feet feel so heavy as well as my heart. Why couldn't my father have just left us alone? Tears begin to gather in my eyes. People looking at me from their seats

_"Do they think my tears are of happiness?"_

They'd be more wrong than anything.

Brother had tried. Sister was still in the hospital. And… I shut my mind off. I refuse to think of him. I wish he was here waiting up there, instead of that stranger.

I look up, only a few yards away. I picture his hair, a bright sunset shade, beautiful chocolate eyes, that oh, so lovable smirk on his face. The look of his eyebrows stitched together. His usual glare.

"_Would it be gone? Would his eyes be full of love.?"_

**Yes.** Something in the back of my head answers for me.

The tears begin to fall more rapidly.

I have finally reached the end.

My father gratefully passes me off.

I step to face the man I loathe so much. He was mainly the man behind this entire scheme. It was his fault. I glare at him.

_"You'll learn to love him."_ My father had said.

I will never love this man. My heart no longer is mine to give away. It will forever belong to…

"We are gathered here today….."

* * *

The loud slap of my feet against the concrete ground echoes through my head repeatedly.

_"I won't let this happen."_

She belongs to me.

The second I was told, my heart had the feeling that I have read in so many books, the crash of the heart into a million pieces. All equaling one thing. Heart break.

_**"ICHIGO.!"**_

_** "What?"**_

_** "Look baby ducks!" She smiled, while running to the edge of the water. "The mother duck is so protective!"**_

_** "Well, she wants to protect the ones she loves." I grinned back at her.**_

I growled and shook my head.

Her smile.

I will see it again. She'll be smiling at me.

"ICHIGO!"

I turned to see pineapple spiked red hair.

"RENJI!"

He drove up to me, keeping pace with my running.

"Get in!" He yelled.

I jumped in without hesitation. The second my door shut, Renji shot off.

I'll stop this and save her.


	2. Evil In The Form Of A Midget

I must thank those who reviewed and my friends who read this :o You guys don't know how happy I was when I got my first review.! I was in class and on my phone and I was all over the classroom and talking to my friend about my joy :'3 Ah, thank you to _IchiRuki01_ and _OHSHCchick._ You made my day big time! So, I've decided to **dedicate this chapter to my best friend Kelly.** She is a bit of my inspiration. Ahah, so here you are.! Chapter One: Evil In The Form Of A Midget. I hope you enjoy.! Please give me so hard feedback.! I want this story to satisfy the readers. :'D

* * *

Fast feet and heavy breathing.

Just a couple more yards, I can see the school.

_Bing bing bing._

"SHIT! Monday's suck!"

I wouldn't have been so damn late if that old man, who calls himself a father, hadn't decided to try to give me another one of his 'fighting lessons'. He refused to let me leave until he thought I fought back properly. It went on for half an hour before I could trick him into flying straight onto one of the walls. I was smirking when I glanced at the clock and realized I only had five minutes to get to school on time. While I was running full sprint to the school I couldn't help but laugh at the goat faced idiot. For as many times as it's happened you would think he had learned by now.

_ "Freaking idiot." _

SLAM!

"Ow" I had run into something or more correctly someone because we fell onto the floor with a pretty hard crash. Man, Monday's really sucked.

"IDIOT!" A voice yelled at me before a tiny fist connected with my jaw. I unconsciously began to rub it and looked down to see the owner of the hand. I realized I was positioned above a petite figure in a Karakura High uniform. Her hair was a shoulder length raven color with a single strand falling between her large amethyst eyes. I finally realized the way I was positioned on top of her and scrambled to my feet. I offered her my hand when she began to get up herself but she disregarded it as if it were trash.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She questioned me as she began to brush off invisible dust.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm Ichigo Kurosaki."

Smart ass comments. Bad Idea. Saying that I had earned myself another punch in the face.

"Bitch." Was all I could get out while holding my face.

_ "Maybe, I sort of deserved that."_

But, Jesus Christ for someone so small she had some serious force behind her punches. "What do you do in your free time? Lift weights?"

I glanced over at her and saw that she was roughly 4'9". Weight lifting seemed out of the question, she didn't seem to have any noticeable muscle.

"I…" I started.

"Don't you watch where you're going!" She screamed at me. "It's not like I'm invisible! I was clearly in front of you!"

"Well, you're short enough to be." I grumbled.

This time she took the liberty of punching me in the stomach.

"Damn it." I doubled over, with one hand on my knee and the other wrapped around my torso."What about you if you were walking that way," I pointed to the direction in which I had just come from. "Wouldn't you have seen me running straight at you and thought 'Hey, maybe I should have get out of the way.'"

Oh shit. The second I said that a vein popped in her forehead and she began to pull back her fist for another attack.

"Okay, okay, okay!" I rushed out and raised my arms to protect myself. "How many times do you plan on punching me before we can sit down and act like adults? Do you talk through punches? Come on."

"No." She scoffed. "Fine, I won't punch you again."

I sighed a breath of relief.

"_Thank God."_

That was until, I felt a foot connect with my face and I was up against the wall.

"Bitch! What the hell?" I shouted. "I thought you said…"

"That I would not punch you, again. I did not say anything about kicking." She put a heavy emphasis on punch. I sighed,

"_Damn, got me there."_

"Fine, Whatever." I stood up and continued, "Are you ready to talk like adults and straighten this out?" I thought my sentence through, than added, "Without physically injuring me?"

She looked me up and down. "Your hair looks like a carrot field."

"Or emotionally."

She opened her mouth to say something but I interrupted her before anything else could leave her mouth. "And before you even try don't try messing with my mental stability either."

She laughed a low evil little laugh. "No fun." She crossed her arms. "Fine, fine. Let's get straight."

I laughed at her sentence. She missed a word and it made her sentence sound like it had a completely different meaning.

Her face showed confusion, then they widen with realization of what she had just said and there was a slight sign of a blush on her cheeks. "I… No… That's… Err… THAT'S NOT WHAT I MENT!"

"Yeah, yeah." I tried to conceal my laughter but it wasn't going so well. "I know what you meant."

"Good then, I shall see you later." She turned away from me and began to walk down to the main office. As, I guessed, she was headed before I had run into her.

Just then something hit me. "Hey, Midget!"

She stopped and turned only her head in my direction. "What?" She spit out, visibly irritated.

I mockingly bowed towards her. "I never got the honor of knowing your name."

"Rukia." She said before she began her escape again.

I yelled after her, "Well, Midget Rukia, How about I meet you after school? And we can sort this out?"

She spit out a quick "Sure" but when she stopped. I knew the next thing that came out of her mouth was not going to be very pleasant comment.

She turned her head and looked over her shoulder. "See you later, then…"

_"She's going to say something that'll set me of. Just wait."_

"Strawberry." And there it was.

"My name is _**not**_ Strawberry!" I growled back at her.

She ran off laughing as fast as a midget could.

_"Damn her…."_

After a quick check in the bathroom to check if the Midget had left any marks on me, my face was in pretty okay shape but my side was definitely going to be bruised, I jogged to class.

And when I slide the door open the first thing I saw was a 4'9" midget that had just physically abused me. She was standing in the front of my classroom with the fakest smile a human could muster. When she saw me her smile faltered slightly.

"Kurosaki! Your late."

Rukia smirked and when I walked past her on my way to my desk she whispered just loud enough for me to hear, "Hello, again, Strawberry."

_"This is going to be hell. Life must hate me."_

"Miss Kuchiki, your seat will be next to Kurosaki."

"Okay, thank you."

_"Oh, yeah. I'm in hell."_


	3. And That's My Life

This is so extremely adrenaline rushing.! I love it:] I'd love to thank _leedakay _for her review and for loving and obsessing over Paramore.! Just like me:'] Aha, you rock.

Anyway here is Chapter Two: And That's My Life. **Dedicated to my **_**real life**_** Midget friend. Alexis. And my friend Heathur for helping with the baby names.! **Thank you both.

* * *

"So, you're telling me that your some rich girl from a family that owns a big corporation?" I reran what Rukia had just explained to me, she nodded and I continued, "And you just moved to Karakura because you, your brother, and your sister wanted to get away from the publicity?" Another nod. "And the world of news thinks you just …. Vanished?"

"Yes." She said around licks of ice cream.

_After school had let out we met up at the school gates and walked towards the park. An ice cream truck was headed in our direction. The music caught Rukia's attention and she began to question me._

_ "Why is that truck playing such a loud and annoying melody, Ichigo?"_

_ "Um, it's an ice cream truck." I disregarded it because I have never been much of a fan of ice cream._

_ "What is an ice cream truck?" _

_ I turned to her and her face looked heavily burdened with confusion. "You can't be serious."_

_ "And so what if I am." She crossed her arms."My old neighborhood never had such ridiculous things such as trucks that go around playing irritating music."_

_ "So basically you're saying you've never even seen one before." I asked._

_ "That is not what I said." She looked away from me and I stopped the truck when it was close enough to us._

_ "Ichigo Kurosaki! What are you doing?" She hissed at me._

_ I simply ordered two chocolate cones and handed her one. She stared blankly at it._

_ I sighed. "You take your hand," I grabbed her hand "Wrap it around the cone," Placed it around the cone. "And then you eat it." I shoved the ice cream a little too hard into her mouth and it squished around her mouth, causing her to look like she had a dark brown mustache when she removed the cone from her mouth. I blinked and scoffed. "Well, don't you look attractive?"_

_ "YOU DUMB ASS!" She wiped her mouth on her arm, I tossed her a napkin that the ice cream man had given me and she cleaned it off her arm. "This is your fault!" She screamed at me and dropped her ice cream. She looked down and glared at it._

_ She looked up at me and commanded, "Give me."_

_ "What?"_

_ "Your ice cream! Give it to me." She held out her hand._

_ "No, eat yours off the ground; it won't be too hard with your size."_

_ A swift kicked came to my stomach and I flew back a good fifteen feet. My ice cream cone had fallen out my hand and she caught it in mid-aid. _

_ "Thank you, Ichigo."_

_ "Damn that, bitch." I coughed out and ran after her as she walked away._

_ "So, please, explain to me how you've never heard or seen of a ice cream truck?"_

_ And so she began her story as she ate my ice cream._

And so here we are now. Sitting at a park bench and looking at passing friends, couples, families, and children.

"So, what does your family own?"

No response.

"Pepsi? Hostess?" I joked.

Nothing. She just sat there eating the ice cream.

"So, your brother and sister are taking care of you?"

"Actually, Byakuya is my brother-in-law. He married Hisana a while back. But he treats me well enough that I feel like his blood sister."

"Oh," Was my reply. "So, where are your parents? Did something happen to them?"

That most certainly got her attention. When the sentence had left my mouth she had stop mid-way to her cone and her eyes glazed over.

"Um, Rukia?" I lightly tapped her shoulder.

She glanced down at her watch, and then shoved the rest of her ice cream in her mouth.

_Who would of thought a midget could shove that much ice cream into such a tiny mouth?_

"Well, I need get going!"

"Uhh, alright."

Then a thought crossed my mind and I just remember the whole reason we had met up was to talk about what happened this morning before class. "Er, hey, Rukia?"

She turned to me and as if she knew what I was going to ask she replied, "Yes, I know. It's okay. See you tomorrow." And with that she ran off.

"Bye." I said and gave a small wave.

* * *

As I walked home memories kept replaying in my head.

The punches

The kicks

The pain

The cruel comments.

The overall feeling of being …alone. People were watching. They we're always watching too scared to help.

When I finally reached home I stood outside the door for a few unnecessary minutes. I looked up at my house and examined it.

I loved this house. It was cozy looking one story. I was so relieved when Hisana and Byakuya bought this house over any of the other ones. All the other houses were big and flashy and in rich neighborhood. Luckily, Hisana wanted to look at some small town homes, just to see. This was the first and only house she looked at because she fell in love with it the second we walked in. Byakuya couldn't argue. Once Hisana had her mind set on something she really wants, there is no way in the entire world she will ever change her mind.

I sighed and walked in.

When I walked over the threshold, the house felt empty. Maybe, it's just because of the reruns in my head. I didn't know for sure.

"I'm home!" I yelled out.

"Rukia?" I turned toward the kitchen door way to see my older sister's head sticking out. "Welcome home." She greeted, she walked over to me and embraced me in a warm, tight hug.

"Thank you." I replied," How was your day?"

We walked into the kitchen and Hisana continued making cookies. I jumped on the counter and watched her, waiting for her reply.

"It was the same as always." She said as she finished mixing the cookie dough and started placing it on a cookie sheet in medium sized globs. "Byakuya and I went shopping for more baby stuff." She absentmindedly rubbed her still growing stomach.

My smile widened at the thought of my soon-to-be niece, Lillian Kuchiki. She was due in two months. Hisana and Byakuya met about 11months ago and got married about two months after meeting, and about one more month later Hisana was pregnant. I was so happy for my sister.

"Did you find anything?"

"YES!" She squealed in delight, "A _designer _Chappy blanket!" My eyes sparkled with excitement and jealousy. _Man, this baby had it good and she hasn't even been born yet, _I thought to myself. "But," Hisana interrupted my thoughts, "Keep it a secret. Byakuya said I wasn't suppose to buy anymore Chappy things. And especially not anything designer." She knew if Byakuya found out he'd be less than happy but her smile never dulled.

Bing.

Hisana went to the oven and took out the fresh, hot cookies. I jumped off the counter and ran over to the sheet of steaming cookies, grabbed one and threw it into my mouth. I would've burned my tongue off if Hisana hadn't put out a cold glass of milk out for me. I chugged the milk.

I was still chugging the milk when someone behind me said, "So, your still not going to listen to what I said about not eating cookies before dinner?" I turned to see Byakuya. His medium length black hair loosely falling and his grey eyes full of happiness. I smiled with cookie crumbs around my lips and a drop of milk sliding down my chin.

"Welcome Home!" I said with a mouth still full so what really came out was an assortment of gurgling noises.

"Thanks, Rukia." He laughed and patted my head. I swallowed and he passed me a few napkins. I cleaned my mouth and watched as he grabbed a cookie and slowly ate it.

"So, how was work? I asked.

"Tiring." He answered as he leaned his elbows onto the counter, I came up behind him and patted his back.

"As always." I took my leave, grabbed my school bag from where I dropped it in the living room, and went to my room.

I put my bag on my desk and fell onto my bed.

I hugged my pillow close to my head. I began to fall asleep but even though I started to drift off I was still awake.

I don't know when I started to dream but it was somewhere when I was in the middle of half asleep and half awake.

The dreams were of my past.

My entire life before I moved to Karakura, was replaying in my head.

_ Screams_

**Blood**

Tears.

And the endless feeling of _hopelessness._

"Please, No!" Everything felt so real. Over and over, never ending. I haven't these dreams in months. Although, something felt so …different about this dream. It was at my old house. Where …everything took place. I was lying on my stomach on the living room floor propping myself up on my elbows. Then, it all change into Karakura High School. And in front of me I saw a 5'8" muscular, orange haired idiot wearing a tight, white shirt with a long sleeved, purple undershirt.

"I… Ichigo?" I whispered.

"Hey, Rukia?" He bent down to help me from my position on the floor, his face covered in confusion.

Then, I heard a stabbing sound and Ichigo's eyes went blank and blood started to drip out of the corner of his mouth.

"ICHIGO!" I screamed. "NO! STOP!"

I jolted up in my bed. My breathing was heavy and came in gasps and I was sweaty all over.

"Damn it." I sat on the edge of my bed and looked at the clock, it told me school was starting in five minutes. "DAMN IT!" I hurried to get dressed and ran down stairs. Hisana's hand was sticking out of the kitchen door holding a cereal bar. I had slept through dinner and there was no way I was going to make it to lunch with out _something _to eat. I grabbed it and raced out the door.

"Have a good day!" I heard Hisana scream out to me as I left.

I ate the bar during my dash to school. I was only ten minutes late and when I got there the teacher hadn't even arrived. I sighed and plopped down into my chair.

"Why were you so late?" Ichigo grumbled out. I turned to him and saw his head rested on his folded arms that were on top of his desk. His eyes were closed and it looked like he was in a deep sleep. At first, I thought he was possibly sleep talking.

I glared at him when I remembered he had invaded my dreams last night.

One of his eyes opened and he looked at me. It shut as fast as it had opened.

"What's with that glare?"

"Nothing!" I barked.

I heard him sigh and sit up properly. That's when the teacher walked in

And so the day went on normal and boring.

* * *

I sat, not fully listening to the day's lesson.

_"She's mad."_ I thought.

As my chin was resting on hand, I watched the outside world day pass.

_"But why?" _

I had asked Rukia why she was late and when I opened my eye to look at her she was glaring at me. Was it because of the question I asked her yesterday?

"_**So, your brother and sister are taking care of you?"**_

"_**Actually, Byakuya is my brother-in-law. He married Hisana a while back. But he treats me well enough that I feel like his blood sister."**_

"_**Oh," Was my reply. "So, where are your parents? Did something happen to them?"**_

She seemed pretty upset when she left.

I took a chance and glanced at her. Her hands were in fist laid on her lap and her eyes glaring at them. I looked back outside.

_"What's wrong with her?"_

I closed my eyes and saw amethyst eyes looking back...

**_Later that day._**

"Hey…" I heard a voice calling in the distance, "STRAWBERRY!"

I hate that name, I thought sleepily.

"Ichigo?"

Why is this voice nagging me?

"IDIOT!" Right when those words were spoken I had a feeling I would be in a lot of pain in a second…

Right then a fist connected with my face and when I opened my eyes my face was stuck to the window I had been staring out earlier.

"Damn it." I groaned.

"So, that's how to get you up?" I pushed away from the window and turned to the owner of the voice and fist.

I also happened to notice the classroom was emptied.

"What the hell?"

"Come one, schools out." She replied and turned away from me. "You fell asleep not even an hour into our first class." She snickered.

"So, I missed ….lunch?" I frowned

"Well, obviously. You wouldn't believe how heavy y…" My stomach interrupted her with a loud growl. She just looked at me for a few seconds then ..giggled?

Her head turned too looked over her shoulder. "Do you want to come to my house for dinner?" She asked. My eyes no doubt showed shock. "Hisana probably has dinner done and I just thought you'd want to eat."

"Sure," I answered. "My family is going to be gone for the week.

"Where'd they go?"

"Camping." Her eyes questioned. So I answered. "They're going on their annual father/daughter camping trip."

She sighed in understanding. "Well, let's get going Hisana will start to worry." She said as she began towards the door.

And with that I got up and followed.

_**Meeting Rukia's Family.**_

I couldn't breathe.

"SO, YOU'RE MY LITTLE RUKIA'S FIRST FRIEND HERE!"

When Rukia had introduced me to Hisana, she almost cried with excitement. She grabbed me into a hug that could kill.

"Nice… er, huh…. To… meh…et.. gah you." I had to gasp my words out so I wouldn't suffocate. I patted her on the back and she finally released me. I fell to the ground, panting and coughing.

I looked up at Hisana, finally seeing her facial features, she looked exactly like Rukia. Except an older version. "Rukia and you similarities when it comes to," Cough."Strength."

Hisana let out a small laugh. Rukia just smirked from her spot on the couch.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think Ru-chan would have a friend over so soon. She never talked about making any friends. Especially not a_ boy_friend."

Rukia's smirk fell and my eyes widened.

"Wha… Wee…er… hm.. umm… aha.." Rukia and I sputtered out.

Hisana connected out reactions and her words and blushed.

"Oh, my." She laughed. "Sorry for my miss use of words. I only meant friend…. Who happens to be a boy."

We just nodded.

We heard the door open and a male's voice call out, "I'm home." Hisana smiled and stood.

"Rukia? Ichigo? Could you set the table? Everything is on the counter." Rukia raised from the couch and I the floor.

I followed Rukia to the kitchen. We placed the table mats down, first, then I picked up the plates and passed them to Rukia as gently placed them on the table. We could hear the conversation of the new arrival and Hisana.

"Ichigo Kurosaki?" Said a deep voice.

"Yes, he is one of Ru-chan's friends." Hisana replied.

"Boyfriend?" He implied.

"No, no, dear. Just a friend."

"Good, where is he?"

She must have just nodded because the conversation ended there. Then, seconds later, Hisana and a tall man with black hair, shoulder length, and cold grey eyes came in. His mouth seemed set in a straight line.

Rukia passed me to get to where the cups were stacked so she could set them with the rest of the stuff placed on the table."Don't be so stiff, he isn't as scary as he looks. Unless, you act like a complete idiot."

I forced a somewhat smile on my face and nodded towards him, sticking my hand out to him. "Ichigo Kurosaki." I introduced myself even though I knew he already knew my name.

He looked towards Hisana, who nodded encouragingly, to him. He took my hand firmly and shook. "Hello, Ichigo Kurosaki." His voice sounded monotone."Byakuya Kuchiki." He introduced himself.

"Byakuya." I said.

"Well, then." Hisana came towards Byakuya and weaved her arm through his. "Let's eat."

We took our seats and dinner began.

* * *

I could tell Ichigo was extremely nervous around Byakuya. I inwardly laughed.

"I'll serve." Hisana stated.

"No," everyone looked at me. I smiled in response, "I got it."

Hisana, who had stopped midway from standing up, smiled back and sat back down.

I stood up and served Byakuya, Hisana, Ichigo, and then myself. When Ichigo went to begin eat, I smacked his hand with the wooden spoon I was using to serve. Byakuya poured everyone a cup of tea.

I sat back down, we said our thanks and began eating.

Everyone was silent. Only the sound of utensil's against plates were heard.

"So, Ichigo?" His head turned to my sister.

"What brought you to dinner with us tonight?" She questioned.

"Rukia asked me to dinner. And my options were go home starve or burn the house trying to cook. So I took Rukia's offer."

"Do you live alone?" Her face showed concern.

"No, actually I live with my parents and little sisters." He replied.

"Can none of them cook?"

"Oh, my little sister, Yuzu, is an excellent cook my mom is teaching her everything she knows."

"Then, why did you not have dinner with them?"

"They're all gone." He said around a mouth full of food.

"Where are they all?" She was confused, now.

"My mother is visiting my sick grandmother and my sisters are on an annual camping trip with my Dad." Ichigo explained to her.

"Huh," She thought about what he had said for a while, "So, you have sisters?" She smiled at him and clapped her hands in excitement.

"Yes" He said.

"What are their ages?"

"Eleven."

"They're twins!" Hisana exclaimed, "Tell me about them!"

Ichigo's eyes sort of glazed over and you could tell his mind was somewhere else. "Well, Karin the older of the two has my dad's hair, dark black and a little above her shoulder. She loves soccer, she's a bit of a tom boy but unique. Yuzu is the younger one and has my mother's auburn hair. She is always smiling and she helps my mom out in any way she can. She's a miniature version of her." He finished his story with a slight grin.

"That's so cute." My older sister said.

I just stared at Ichigo he seemed to have such a caring and protective look in his eyes when he talked about his family.

"So, Kurosaki, your saying your home alone?"

Hisana, Ichigo, and I snapped out of the little scene that was going on and turned to Byakuya.

"Yeah….?"

"Would you care to stay at our home until your family returns?"

I gasped but Hisana's face glowed, "Oh, Byakuya you're a genius! Ichigo will be so lonely in his home and he'll probably starve from lack of proper food.."

"HEY!" Ichigo protested.

"It'll be like having a son."

I stared at Hisana during her entire speech, without a bit of any expression on my face. Ichigo? Staying here?

"Hisana? You can't really be s…."

"Shhh," She interrupted me. "Rukia, this could be fun."

"Um …I don't know" Hisana gave a look that no one could deny, he sighed. "Sure."

"Great! It's settled then. Byakuya go with Ichigo to his house and help him pack."

With Hisana's orders, Ichigo and Byakuya thanked her for the dinner and left.

_"Well, this'll be fun"_ I thought, unhappily. I watched them get into Byakuya's car and drive off.

I sighed.

"Ru-chan! Could you help me with the dishes?" Hisana's singsong voice came from the kitchen.

"Of, course, sister."

* * *

Oh my jesus ~.~ this took forever to type.! I almost gave up. I don't like transferring stuff from paper to computer it's boring.! But luckily I had inspiring music :'] Anyone heard of _Tiny Japanese Girl_.? It's a funny song. Youtube it.! Haha, well, please **R-E-V-I-E-W.!** Tell me how I'm doing and how this chapter was.! Did it suck.? I don't know :o Until next time.

Xoxo,


	4. Not So Forgotten Intruders

So, I have moved and I had written this chapter down and lost it.! Sad, but then I found it which made everything better. But I fear I that I should stop writing because I'm not getting many reviews :'o aw, over dramaticmuch.? Possibly, hehe. I just want to know if I'm really doing well. So review review review. Haha, I only say that because recently I was talking to my older sister and she randomly turned to me in the car and says "Alyssa, when you become a rich, famous author buy me a In The Groove 2 game system." She doesn't want those lame matt ones she wants the arcade version.

She's a really weird sister but awesome. Also, I am using my brothers laptop to type up this chapter and he only has wordpad and it doesn't have spellcheck and I'm like 'Tf.?' So, if you catch some misspells and improper grammer please tell me and I'll fix them when I get a new laptop. :'D So here I give you Chapter 3: Not So Forgotten Intruders.

* * *

The drive to my house with Byakuya was more than awkward to say the least. I'd try to strike up a conversation and he'd anwser with the shortest possible anwser, sometimes I would get a simple nod, other times there would be no response at all. When we finally reached my house I breathed a sigh of relief. The car was stuffy with a tense atmosphere.

"So, um... I'll be right back?"

He cut the engine and simply replied, "Please hurry, Kurosaki. It is late and I wish to sleep."

I gave a sharp nod and hurried out of the car. I jogged up to my door, getting my key out.

When I enter my house it felt so empty. Looking around I was sort of relieved Rukia's older brother invited me to stay at their house. I would have gone mad in this empty house. I hated empty places.

I ran up to my room to pack the necassary things for a little under a week. When I was about to walk out I noticed a post it note on my lamp.

"What the...?" I had a bad feeling about that little blue post-it note. I walked over to it and realized by the extreme scribbles that it was from my father.

_Ichigo,_

_While you are alone in this big house for the week bring many_

_women over and pleasure them well! I want many grandchildren!_

_-Daddy._

I crumbled the note and threw it in the trash. "Sick bastard." I growled. I continued my way down the stairs and out of the house, pausing only to lock the door.

"Okay," I said as I climbed in the car and tossed my bag into the back, "Let's go."

I continued on, shutting my door and buckling myself. After I was done Byakuya and I just sat there for several moments.

"Um... Byakuya?"

"Ichigo Kurosaki." He interrupted.

"I..uh, yeah?"

"My sister.." He began, staring forward practicularly at nothing.

"Rukia? Uh, what about her?"

"Don't ever hurt her." He said. His voice holding a sharp, icy tone. "Her pain will mean your death. She has already endured enough through her short life. Her heart no longer needs to suffer." He took a deep breath. "She deserves the best. If you love her..."

I took that as my time to interupet "WHOA! Wait, I barely met her yesterday morning! I DO NOT LOVE HER!"

"Do not interupet me." He turned to me, and the glare that was set on his face could've scared Satan himself.

"Sorry." I mumbled and turned to look out the window.

"Just protect my little sister." Something flashed across his eyes. What was it? Pain? No. Sadness? Possibly. Fear for his sister?

Yes, that sounded absolutely right.

I hasd been so absorbed in my thoughts I hadn't even realized he had started the car. But when I zoned back and looked up I realized we were back at the Kuchiki household.

"You will not speak a word of what I said to my wife or younger sister."

I nodded.

Rukia said he wasn't always like that but when he was ...he was scary as hell.

* * *

"Welcome home." Hisana greeted Byakuya and Ichigo with huge smile.

"Thank you." Byakuya said and kissed Hisana lovingly on the lips. She let out a soft giggled. Ichigo thanked Hisana and walked over to where I was leaning up against a wall at the back of the living room. He was still in his school uniform, his bag was in his right hand which was slung over his shoulder. His other hand in his pocket.

"Hey." I greeted him. His reply was a nod. "Come on, I'll show you to your room." I shrugged off the wall and turned down the hallway headed to the spare bedroom.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard him say, "Why, thank you, Midget."

A vein popped in my head. I turned on my right heel, lifting my left leg high enough for it to make contact with his face. I smirked when he fell to his knees and held his face. He mumbled enough curses to make a nun faint.

"Whatever, get up, Strawberry." I continued down the hallway slowly. Once I heard him get back up and the sound of his feet dragging behind me, I returned to a normal pace.

* * *

With my arms still tightly wrapped around Hisana, I watched Rukia and Ichigo. An intense glare on my face.

_"WHOA! Wait, I barely met her yesterday morning! I DO NOT LOVE HER!"_

You say you do not love her, Ichigo Kurosaki. In your mind you think you hate her. She is everything you despise? I think not. Sometime hate is the strongest form of love.

You barely met her yesterday? What does that have to do with anything. When I first laid eyes on Hisana was the second I fell in love with her. I may not have known it at the time but I realized it soon after. You will one day, too.

"Wouldn't that be nice, Bya-ku-ya." Hisana said as she yawned.

"Mhm," I nodded, I didn't have a clue what she was talking about but I learned to never ignore her. Once I was so spaced out and she had said something and it ws during one of her mood swings. Her mood swings are horrible when she wasn't pregnant but as of her status then barely three months pregnant they were intensified. She was furious when I asked her to repeat what she had said. God, I had never been so scared of her, or any women at that, in my entire life.

From then on I just would respond with whatever would be the best respond to whatever I had not heard. It was usually just to agree.

"Maybe, we should head of to bed?"

"Good idea." Her words were starting to slur due to her drowsiness.

I began to guide her to our room. Ichigo, you may be to blind to see it but destiny has it's course and there is no way out. If you hurt my younger sister in anyway I will hunt you down and kill you.

"You must be exhausted."

"Ga...mehmmm...ermm." I smirked at her response.

I was serious back in the car, Kurosaki. I hope to God you don't ever forget my words.

* * *

"Okay." Rukia clapped her hands together. "Comfortable?"

"Em? Yeah." Was my reply. I sat on the bed, testing it's comfort level and the sheets softness. They were okay;

"Alright. G'night, Ichigo!"

"Night."

Rukia shut the door as she left and I got up and began to change into my pajama's. A simple muscle shirt and pajama pants.

While I was in the process of taking my pants of the rooms door open, "Ichigo, I forgot to tell y..."

We both froze. Rukia chose the worst possible time to come and tell me something.

My pants around my ankles and her at the door staring at me.

Her face turned a bright crimson. "Sorry." She shut the door and I could hear her feet slowly fade away as she ran back to her room.

That's going to be awkward tomorrow, I thought. It's her fault for not knocking. I fell back onto the bed with a loud sigh.

"Yup. Can't wait to see how this week turns out."

And so the week went on; The first morning neither Rukia nor I brought up the incident but she knocked from then on everytime she came to my room.

For school Rukia would wake me up in the morning in the rudest ways possibly. It made my dads way look like special treatment.

Wednesday morning was a water buck dumbed and thrown on my head.

Thursday was ants in the sheets. That was hell to clean up.

And Friday was blasting music in my ears, until I went deaf for half the day, AND beating me with a oar.

On Wednesday, she had waken up a little late though, so after my torcher we had to get reading and run to school in less than three minutes. Hisana tossed us some cereal bars before we ran out and I had feeling this happened to Rukia alot and would explain why she was late her second day to school.

When we arrived to school the first day together, panting and breathless, we were bombarded with millions apon millions of questions. I glided past it all and ignored any questions that I was asked.

I felt bad leaving Rukia with those questions but when I thought about it she was chosing to anwser them.

When a red headed girl with a rather blessed figure came up to her I could help but groan. Orihime.

She's been obsessed with me and any girl who came close to me. Her grey eyes were piercing as she talked to Rukia. Rukia noticed, I could tell there was no way in hell she would have missed that glare. She didn't do anything, though. She anwsered all her question without a hint of rudeness. Once, Orihime was satisfied with all the anwsers she walked to her desk and sat down she seemed to glow with triumph. Why? Heck if I know.

The teacher was later than usual, I thought. That was exactly when the sound of the sliding door opened and in walked a tall, tanned woman. Her deep purple hair was tied professionaly in a messy bun. She had honey gold eyes with, what appeared to be artifical glass. I'm pretty sure she only wore them to look 'educational' like. Considering by her grin she looked like she wasn't really all that interested in education.

"Okay!" Her voice was a bit loud for a class room. "So, sit down, children." Her voice was a bit sing songy as she said that. "Your teacher is sick with some sort of ...sickness."

Clearly, she wasn't all that up-to-date on sickness or explainations for that matter.

I watched everyone take their seats but what caught my eye was Rukia. Her face seemed horror struck as she took her seat. She was trying to hide but her attempt was failing.

"I shall be your substitute teacher for the next two weeks!" Her grin widened. "My name is Yoruichi Shihoin." She glanced around the class, her eyes pausing on Rukia, she nodded towards her and went on. "SO TO CLASS WORK!"

The class groaned.

"Miss Kuchiki?" The substitute teacher called out.

Our of the corner of my eye I saw Rukia's hands clench tightly into fist. She lifted her head and glared at Ms. Yoruichi, "Yes?" She anwsered through clenched teeth.

"Could you tell me where your class is in this thing." She swung a textbook in the air.

Rukia reluctantly anwsered her, turning her head away to the window afterwards.

_"What is wrong with her? Does she know her?"_

I watched Rukia carefully throughout the day. People who noticed probably thought I looked like a stalker but I was just...

What was I? Just curious. Right?

Whatever the reasoning I had to know.

_"Just what is wrong with her?"_

_**She's hiding something..**_

An inner voice replied. I jumped at it.

I wouldn't have been so alarmed if the voice hadn't sounded so echoy and eerie.

I'll ignored it for now. I still want to know what's up with Rukia.

I slumped into my seat and glanced outside, I'll figure it out later.

* * *

So apparentaly our teacher had some rare sickness she got when she went on vacation. So she'd be out for at least two weeks. It wasn't something deadly but it felt _like_ you were dying the entire time.

And out substitute teacher just happened to be Ms. Yoruichi Shihoin. I hated that women. She had never done anything horrible to me personally but the fact that she use to work for my father was enough for me to hate her.

I didn't pay attention to her at all when she taught.

To hell with what she taught, she wasn't even a freaking teacher. I had to give her props on her acting skills, though. I think those three days were the worst of my new life. When I got home Wednesday and Thursday I would be wondering all day why she was even _in_ Karakura. When Ichigo caught me dazing off he'd ask if I was okay and I'd just yell at him to stop trying to get in my business.

But on Friday.. Friday was the worst of all.

It started out the same. We got to school, on time. I ignored all of Yoruichi's false teaching and went the whole school day like that. Until..

"Miss Kuu-cchii-kiii.!" She sang name as I was about to walk out at the end of the day.

I slowed my pace until I had fully stopped, I turned to her with the oh so famous Kuchiki glare. "What?" I said to her with as much ice in my voice as I could.

"Calm yourself." She smirked with a hint of command dripping in her voice. "I need to speak with you." She glared at Ichigo and continued. "And you alone." She almost sounded venomous.

I looked at Ichigo. "Leave." I nodded towards the door. He was about to argue about not being able to stay. That's just like Ichigo. In this small week I learned everything I needed to know about Ichigo Kurosaki.

I placed my hand gently on his chest and gave him a slight push. "I can take care of myself, Strawberry." He took a small step backward. He glared at my use of the nickname 'Strawberry' but I could see the tiny glint of worry in his eyes.

"Fine," He finally gave in. "I'll wait for you by the gates."

I nodded and let my hand fall from his chest. He left and I turned towards Yoruichi with a hard, cold glare again. "What do you need, Yoruichi?"

"Oh, so rude no suffix's at all?"

"What do you need, YO-RU-ICHI!" I repeated my question, yelling her name and splitingg it into three parts.

Her face turned into pure seriousness.

* * *

When Rukia walked out of the school and towards me I knew something was wrong. Her face was downcast and she wouldn't make eye contact.

"Hey, Rukia?" I asked her as she passed me. She was walking fast pace, it was easy to keep up but she speedily started to increase her pace as soon as I hqad caught up to her. "Rukia? What happened! Hello? What's wro..."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She had stopped I almost ran into her but I stopped mere inches away from her.

I looked at her from behind her hands were tightly at her sides clenched into fists.

"Ruk.."

"Shut up, Kurosaki. Just leave me alone." She began to walk away again and I followed. She had called me Kurosaki. She never calls me by my last name.

I walked in front of her. "I just want to kn.." I stopped halfway through my sentence. Rukia stopped again and turned her head away from me but that didn't stop me from seeing the trail of tears falling down her cheeks. My voice turned cold, "What happened?"

"Nothing." Her voice cracked and her eyes showed that she was pissed off that it betrayed her.

"Rukia." I demanded.

"It is none of your business. Just let me be." She ran around me and I stayed there stunned.

I turned around to call after Rukia but she was long gone. I ran around for a while to see if she was anywhere near. The park, school, anywhere. I didn't think she would go straight home.

When I gave up I went straight to the Kuchiki's. I sighed and opened the door.

When I walked inside a sword sliced right at my head, I ducked allowing the sword to cut off only a few strands of my hair. I watched those strands fall slowly to the ground. Then the sword came flying at me, again, repeatedly. I thanked God that my father had given me those lesson or I'm pretty sure I'd be dead right now. "BYAKUYA! QUIT IT!" I was beathing heavily where as he wasn't even breaking a sweat.

"Kurosaki, I thought I told you to never hurt my sister!" He said with his monotone voice.

"AND I DIDN'T!"

"Then explain to me why she came home CRYING!" He was furious.

"I... don't know."

"Byakuya." Came a soft, melancholy voice from behind us. "Byakuya, stop." His movements slowed. Then, they came to an all together hault. Hisana came forward and took Byakuya's hand. "I'm sorry, Ichigo." She gave me a sad smile. "Dinner is in the microwave. Byakuya and I are going to go on a walk."

"We are?" Byakuya asked.

"Mhm." She anwsered and lead him outside.

Huh. So Rukia had come straight home. Damn.

I went down the hall, not even caring to eat dinner.

I went straight to Rukia's door and knocked.

"Um, Rukia?"

Nothing.

"Rukia?" I knock again. "Ru.."

"Go away." I had to listen real hard to hear her through the door. She had whispered it. I didn't want to hurt her anymore than she already was. So, instead of bugging her I went to bed. That didn't stop me from worrying about her.

Not that I was worried worried just... concerned. Sort of. I guess.

I sighed as I fell back on to the bed. I need to know what's wrong.

_**Six Hours Later. 12:34 A.M.**_

Okay, this sleeping thing was not working. Since I got home I've been trying to sleep it was already past midnight and not even a hint of drowsyness.

"Gah," I yelled and sat up in bed. I walked out of my room and towards the back door to go outside into fresh air. When I reached the back door it was already open.

"What the...?" I glanced at the slightly ajar door.

Outside I saw a small figure. And I heard a beautiful singing voice.

* * *

_"Well Now I'm told that this is life_

_And pain is just a simple compromise_

_So we can get what we want out of it_

_Would someone care to classify,_

_Of broken hearts and twisted minds_

_So I can find someone to rely on_

_And run_

_To them, to them_

_Full speed ahead_

_Oh you are not, Useless_

_We are just.."_

"Rukia?"

I gasped at the voice that suddenly came from behind me. I had thought everyone was asleep.

I slowly turned around to face whoever it was that just came out. Although, I had a good guess.

"I.." I cleared my throat. "Ichigo?"

"Uh, norning?" He replied. "What are you doing ou...?" He looked into my eyes and noticed the tears in my eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Pft, of course." I tried to make my voice as controlled as I usually had it, but it cracked a bit and Ichigo noticed. And the look in his eye was pure worry or pure sleepiness. "Did I wake you up?"

"I was never asleep to begin with."

"Oh."

"Rukia?"

I looked up at him because the tone he said my name in was completely not like him.

And then I broke.

Began as strong as I was I just couldn't take it anymore. I haven't cried in a long time. But with the news Yoruichi gave me and Ichigo's odd, but caring tone, I need too.

I cried. Sobbed.

"I'm so scared, Ichigo." I fell to my hands and knees.

To my suprise, Ichigo knelt beside me and hugged me. "It's okay." My eyes widened as I continued to cry. Then he picked me up and took me to the porch swing and he sat us down. I cried into his shirt for a while.

Once I calmed down and the tears finally stopped we just laid on the swing. I was on top of him my head rested onto his chest listening. I noticed not once did he question me about my tears or the distance I was keeping.

"Why aren't you asking?" I asked curiously.

"Because..." He began and then paused before curiously. "It's something you must want to keep private. And you'll tell me when and if your ready too."

I sighed. Ichigo could be really cool sometimes. Amazing even.

"Thank you, Ichigo."

He wrapped his arms around me, protectivly. "No problem, Rukia." I could actually hear a smile in his voice.

And just like that... On the porch swing we fell asleep in eachothers arms.

Without a single worry nor a nightmare in my dreams.

* * *

Okay.! So this story is just moving along so quickly ~.~ I don't know why I feel so dissapointed in this chapter. Eh, -shrugs. Oh well. PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW.!

And to _leedakay_: I hope this chapter was long enough ;^_^ It was originally much shorter, hehe. I even threw the song in for you.! I love that song ~_~

UNTIL NEXT TIME.!

Xoxo.

_In The Next Chapter:_

_ Rukia and Ichigo go on a little 'date' and Rukia Reveals all. Including what Yoruichi had told her Friday after a school._


	5. Her Untold Story

Okay.! I love you guys ~_~ just letting you know. Hehe, Does anyone else read the Vampire Academy series.? No... just wonderingg o.o hehehuhhh, anyways.

So, leedakay: Yeah, thank you for telling me about my spelling.! Last time I type and watch a distracting movie -.0 I read over the chapter and saw my mistakes. I wish my brothers laptop had spellcheck.

Theoracle-san: Aw, thank you, thank you.! I shan't stop.

Bluemoon Princess: Ahaha, thanks for the confidence.

On with the story.!

* * *

_"Because... It's something you must want to keep private and you'll tell me when and if your ready."_

"GAH.!" I bolted up in my bed.

Wait. My... bed?

I had fallen asleep on the porch swing. With Ichigo?

Hadn't I? Or had I dreamed that?

I looked down at my hands. Why is he always in my...

This isn't my blanket. What the hell. Looking around I realized this isn't even my room. I crawl to the end of the bed and look down at the floor. Yeah, I was in Ichigo's room. Well, the guest room but whatever he was staying in it.

"Why am I in his room?" I wonder aloud. "Did something happen?" I start to panic, jump out of bed and dart of the room. I was halfway to my room when I hear a snore coming from the living room.

"Huh?" I tiptoe back to the way I came and sneak a peek into the area.

On the couch, sprawled across the entire length of it, was Ichigo. His legs propped over the armrests and head on a couch pillow. One are dangled off the edge and the other slung across his eyes. Why is he on the couch?

Well, why was I asleep in his room. I take a glance at the clock just under the television.

11:30 it blinked.

My eyes widened. How had I even slept that late? I've never in my life woken up so late. And Ichigo was still asleep. I take careful, slow steps to the couch and crouch down near Ichigos head.

"Um. Ich...Ichigo?" I whisper and tap his shoulder. He didn't respond. "Ichigo?" I tried poking his cheek but nothing.

"Hey, Strawberry." Poking his shoulder again.

"Erumpf, five more minutes." He yawned.

"Er, Ichigo." I lightly shake his shoulder.

His arm rose a bit to peek from under the shadow of his arms. "What Rukia?"

"Um, hey, Ichigo, it's like almost noon?"

He removed his arm from his face squinted in the direction of the clock, then put his arm back over his eyes. "Yeah, so it would seem" He responded then rolled over so his back was facing me.

A vein popped in my forehead. "Hey! Don't turn your back on me."

I heard a muffled sigh and he turned back to face me but his eyes were still closed. "Eh," he yawned. "Happy?"

"Sure."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Why'd you wake me?"

"Your on the couch."

"Never would've guessed."

"UGH! I MEAN WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING ON IT!" I yelled in frustration.

"Because..."

"Why was I asleep in your room? On your bed?"

One of his eyes opened to look at me. I turned my face the opposite direction, I could feel myself blushing.

"Last night.." He began.

I coughed, I felt like I had choked on something. "Er, sorry."

Both of his eyes were open now and examining me. "Yeah, well, after we had fallen asleep," I avoided any eye contact what-so-ever, "I woke up about an hour or so later and you looked cold so I picked you up and er," I saw a light blush begin to take over his cheeks out of the corner of my eye, "Took you to my room." My eye instantly went to his face and glared. "N..n..not what your thinking, Rukia! I was just to tired to carry you all the way to your room. So, I laid you down in my bed and put a blanket on you then, came back to the living room and fell aleep on the couch. I didn't do anything."

My gaze softened. "Um, thanks."

"Yeah, uh, no problem."

_SSSIIIIILLLLLEEEENNNNCCCCEEEE._

For ten minutes straight we stayed there not saying a word, not moving an inch, not even looking at eachother.

"So, I'm just going to get ready for the day."

"Okay, I'm going to go back to sleep." He said as he rolled back over.

With a swift kick that connected with his back I screamed at him, "GET THE HELL UP, LAZY ASS!"

He was now on the floor rubbing his back. "Yeah, okay." He said with pain in his voice. "Where do you get the strength?" I heard him mumble as I walked to the bathroom. I inwardly laughed.

* * *

Even though she had yelled at me to get up, I didn't. Once I heard her walk away and the shower turn on I layed down and slung my arm over my eyes. I was so tired.

I leave tomorrow. I sigh and sit up. It smells like someone is making breakfast. My stomach growls. Skipping dinner last night was stupid.

My stomach growls again.

Really stupid.

Hopping to my feet, I head towards the kitchen. Still in my school unifrom due to the lack of me changing into pajama's, I was just to frustrated yesterday.

I entered the kitchen and was greeted by a much happier Hisana.

"Good morning, Ichigo." She smiled at me.

"Morning, Hisana."

"Eggs?"

"Sure."

"Sasuage?"

"Emhm."

"Pancakes?"

"Yeah."

"How many?"

"I don't know like a billion each." I say with a yawn.

She laughed lightly and turned to me. "Hungry much?"

"Just a bit."

"Well, I have to still feed Rukia. So how's about three of each?"

"I guess that sounds reasonable."

She laughed again and I rest my cheek in the palm of my hand and just stare at nothing in praticular.

"Good morning, Ru-chan."

"Mm, good morning, Sana-chan, breakfast smells nice." Rukia walked in, hair still wet and wearing a fresh set of clothes.

"Thank you."

"Hey Rukia." I said to her.

She turned to me and smirked "Hey, bum."

"HEY!"

"Ah, Rukia is correct you do look like a bum, Ichigo. Maybe you should go shower and change?"

I would've argued but I really did need to shower. I sighed and walked out of the kitchen.

Taking a five minute hot shower and changing into fresh clothes was exactly what I need. I towel dried my hair then went back to the kitchen.

I walked in just as Rukia was setting the table, she gave me a quick glance out of the corner of her eyes. "Much better."

"Thanks but I don't think I need your approval for how I look, Midget."

"Why you." She turned to me full on and had a plate in her hand position to go straight at my head.

"Now, Rukia, I swear sometimes you can be worse than Byakuya." Hisana intervened, "Put the plate down."

Rukia reluctantly put the plate on the table and sat down, pouting. Hisana served us all and we sat down to eat.

Hisana struck up a conversation. "So, Ichigo you sisters come back with your father tomorrow, correct?" Her eyes seemed to be glowing with excitement.

"Uh, yeah." I responded with a sausage half in my mouth.

"I was wondering if, possibly, you could all come over for dinner tomorrow?"

"Em, I guess my sisters could come. I'll ask them when they get home, they should be home around two."

"What about your father?" Her eyes were a bit confused now.

"Nope, that's a big not-uh."

"Why not?" Rukia asked.

I turned to her, then back to Hisana. "Let's just not let him come."

"But.."

"Is he ill? Or too old or something?" Hisana interrupted her younger sister.

"No, just a bit crazy."

"Umm, do yo.."

"You just won't want to meet him just yet."

"Alright, then."

After that, I scarfed down the rest of my meal. When I finished I washed my dish then sat back down at the table. I didn't know where else to go or what to do so I figured I'd sit down with them until they were finished. I talked Hisana about school and how her pregnancy was going and how excited she was to meet my sisters. When Hisana was in the middle of talking about her baby, I took a glance at Rukia. Her face was pretty emotionless and she had only taken a few bits of her food and was now just pushing around her plate. I turned back to Hisana she was looking at her stomach.

"So, uh," I glanced at Rukia again. "What's her name?"

"Lilian."

"That's beautiful."

She nodded and got up to clean all the plates of including Rukias. She just sighed and let Hisana take it.

"Hey, Rukia?"

"Huh?'

"Want to go to the park?"

"What?"

"Just to, you know, get out?" I said to her.

She looked confused at why I would ask her that, "Uh, okay, er, Hisana?"

"Yes, Ru-chan?"

"Where's Byakuya?"

"Work, he had to go in real early." Her eyes were on the dishes she was washing she glanced over her shoulder. "Go with Ichigo." She finished washing the dishes and turned around wipping her hands on the apron she was wearing. "But first change."

"What" I saw Rukia's eyes widen with confusion. "Why?" Rukia glanced over herself.

"Because a lady doesn't wear just plain old jeans and a t-shirt on a date."

That caught my full attention. "Er, uh. Hisana this isn.." But before I could even finish Hisana grabbed Rukiaa's hand and flew down the hallway. "That was pretty fast for a pregnant woman."

* * *

"Hisana, stop it." Hisana was tugging my shirt over my head. "I can change myself."

"Not with your sense of style."

"What's that suppose to mean!"

She only giggled and pulled my shirt off, my pants following. She threw something on me which I couldn't even see because the second it was on she sat me down and worked on my hair. "You don't need make up, your face is beautiful without." She tugged on my hair. "But your hair is just to plain and boring."

"Your hair is exactly like mine!"

"I'm not the one going on a date." She replied with another tug of my hair.

"It's not a date." I looked away from her.

"YOUR BLUSHING. SO CUTE." She squealed.

"Hisana!"

"Okay, okay." She said while covering her mouth.

She bit her lip and began pulling my hair back. She put my hair in a low ponytail and began curling it.

"So, you and Ichigo slept in pretty late." She began.

"Uh, y..yeah, I guess we did."

"You've never slept in so late before." She stated, "Even when you were a baby you would would wake up no later than eight."

"Oh, uh, weird."

"So, what happened last night, Ru-chan?"

I gasped and began stuttering. "Eh, what? Nothing. Gah, just... hm, n-n-not anything big. I mean, er, haha, what are you even talking about?"

She laughed at me as she curled another strand of hair. "Silly Rukia, I woke up late last night, to get a drink of water and notice the porch door open and when I looked outside," She got real close to my ear and whispered, "I saw you and Ichigo sleeping on the porch swing. In each others arms."

My eyes widened. She saw us? "D-d-did you tell.."

"Course not. Would Ichigo be alive right now if I had."

I sighed she had a point.

"So what happened?"

"Nothing." I was blushing, and refused to look at Hisana.

She sighed and began messily pinning my hair in a bun with bobby pins. She pulled a few strands out so that some curls hung aroud my face and randomly around my hair.

"They're all done." She let me stand up so I could fully see the dress I had been forced into. It was a pure white sundress that went down to my knees. It had thin straps and a blue ribbon just under my chest. I had to say, I looked nice.

Hisana had me a pair of white slip ons. "Okay, thanks, I guess. I'll be back later?"

"Go, go."

And with that I left the room.

* * *

I had been waiting half an hour and I was already tired of waiting and kind of regretting asking Rukia to go to the park.

I sighed heavily and laid my head on the kitchen table. It was only two minutes later I heard tiny feet coming into the kitchen I stood up and turned to Rukia. "Could you have taken any longer, Mi..." When I fully turned to Rukia my eyes widened.

She looked beautiful. Beyond beautiful, I wouldn't admit out loud but it was the truth. "Whoa." I whispered.

Her face turned away from me, with a hint of a blush on her face.

"So, uh, let's go?"

"Yeah." She walked ahead of me and out the door, I followed.

"Bye Rukia, Bye Ichigo." We heard Hisana from the front door.

Our walk to the park was just a bit awkward. I could muster up enough words to really talk to her. The wind picked up and it felt nice in the slight heat from the sun.

When we reached the park Rukia's eyes glowed. "Oh, it's so pretty."

"Haven't you been to the park?" She shook her head.

We began a slow pace walk around the park. That was odd, The long while Rukia has lived here wouldn't she have been to the park? Wait..

"Hey, Rukia?"

"Hm?"

"How long have you lived here?"

"Hm, well, we moved here when Hisana was about three months pregnant so.. about four months now."

"But school started two months ago. How come you barely started attending school Monday?"

"Huh, oh, Hisana told me she'd enroll me when she felt I was ready to be around people."

"What's that suppose to mean?" I questioned.

She sighed and stopped at the pond that was in the center of the park, her gaze looked out at the sparkling water.

* * *

_SLAP._

_"What the hell were you even doing out with friends?" My father screamed at me. "You are suppose to come straight home from school!"_

_"I'm so sorry, father." The slap had had enough force that it forced me to the ground. I held my cheek with the palm of my hand._

_"BULL SHIT. If you going to be sorry you shouldn't have even done it in the first place." He liftefd his foot and kicked me in the stomach._

_I coughed. "Father, please."_

_Another kick in the stomach. "Shut up. You need more discipline." He threw the beer bottle he had been drinking at my head._

_"Ow." I touched the back of my head and my fingers returned with blood coating them._

_"Get up." I began to climb to my feet, I slowly got on my hands and knees._

_"Too damn slow." He kicked my stomach again._

_This time blood came with my cough. "Sorry, father." _

_"Then get up fast." His foot came in contact with my face._

_"FATHER!" Came a voice that I thanked god for before I blacked out._

"It wasn't so bad in the beginning. Just a medium slap now and again. He'd always apologize and say he'd over come it. He was just depressed. But then he started getting worse. Drinking became his so-called haven. His abuse got worse and the apologizes were replaced with insults and words of hatred." My hands tightened in my lap, I hated recalling those memories. But I felt as Ichigo need to know. "Hisana had no way of knowing, she was away at college. She didn't know that my mother had abandoned us, yet. She left just about a month or so after Hisana went of to college. There was no warning. We just woke up one morning and she was gone. I faintly remember the night before she came to my room and tucked me in, as usual. Before she left my room she kissed my forehead and said 'Rukia, I will always love you.' and she left."

"Rukia." I heawrd Ichigo whisper my name.

"I was twelve when she left and his abuse went on until Hisana took me away about ten months ago."

"Where were you before you came to Karakura?"

"We lived in apartements. I don't know where because I never asked and I never when out side."

"How did.."

"Hisana find out?" He nodded. "She went out to go on a date with Byakuya and he got mad at me for coming home late. I was helping a friend with a project and I didn't tell my father and when I got back he was furious. Hisana walked in and I don't know what happened after that because I blacked out. But when I woke up I was in the hospital and Hisana told me Byakuya and her were going to take me as far as they could from here. I was to scared to be around people so I stayed inside so when she told me we were finally moving out of the apartement I was happy enough but still scared."

"And so now here you are."

"Yeah, here I am."

"Um, Rukia?"

"Yes, Ichigo?"

"Why were you so scared to be around people?"

"Fear of rejection. Fear that they might ask about my bruises and cuts." I told him truthfully, "It took a while to get over it but I did it."

"Oh." I could see he had another question. And he was fighting with himself to ask it.

"Just ask."

"What?"

"You want to ask something else. So ask."

"What did Ms. Yoruichi tell you Friday?"

My gaze froze and my hands, still in tight fists, clenched tighter.

"And why do you seem to hate her so much?"

"Well, my father used to be the owner of this small company, I was never interested in it. It was for like air conditioning or something, but he made alot of money and when Mom left he quit and he lost all his money to alcohol. And Yoruichi used to work for him. And I hate people who had any ties with my father."

"So what did she tell you on Friday?"

"That my father is looking for me."

Ichigo shot up. "How'd she know that?"

"She watches my father and she hunted me down to tell me. It's really unlikely that he'll find me."

"Your so calm about it now."

"Yes, I know." I replied with a satisfied smile.

Ichigo sat back down on the bench next to me. We looked out to the water, the sun was beginning to retreat from the sky for the moon to take it's place.

Quack. Quack.

I turned my head my head to the side to see a mother duck with a line of baby ducks following her. I gasped. "ICHIGO?"

"What?"

"Look baby ducks!" I smiled and began to run after them to the edge of the pond. I bent down to pet one and the mother duck release a rath of fury at me. I had to run as fast I could away from her just so she wouldn't bit me. I ran to Ichigo and jumped on his shoulders. "The mother duck is so protective." I panted while clinging to his head.

"While she wants to protect the ones she loves." He grinned up at me.

"She could be a little nicer about it."

He laughed at me. "Rukia can you get off my head."

"NO WAY! THE SECOND I GET DOWN THAT LADY WILL COME CHASING ME." He walked a few feet away from where we had been sitting and struggled to get me off.

"Rukia I don't see the mother duck anymore." He tried pulling my arms again. "You can get off. You'll be safe."

"O-okay. Promise." I began to climb off his head.

"Yes, I promise." He said with confidence in his voice.

I jumped back to the ground and dusted of my dress.

"Rukia?"

"Hmm?"

"You look real nice." I looked up at him a bit stunned by his compliment. Then, turned my blushing face the opposite direction.

"Thanks."

_"QUACK! __**QUACK QUACK!**_

I looked over my should to see Mother Duck coming straight for me with rage in her eyes.

I screamed and took off, Ichigo laughing and not even moving from his spot, "DAMN YOU, ICHIGO! YOU LIED!"

* * *

So how was it? Short compared to the last one I know :l Hehe, tell me what your thoughts are :o I updated pretty fast due to boredom at my new house. Rofl, sorry if it isn't all that good. I promise the next one will be and much longer, Please Review.!

Xoxo,

_Preview for the next chapter:_

_ Ichigo is a man of his word, So dinner with the Kuchiki's and his sisters is how they shall spend their Sunday night. _

_ And what happens when Hisana and Byakuya need to go on a business trip and they don't want to Rukia home alone? Find out in the next chapter: And Odd Way Of Becoming Closer._


	6. An Odd Way Of Becoming Closer

Alright.! This is the longest chapter yet. :o haha, It's dedicated to my best friend, Bri because she always steals my clothes~ also, leekaday: Your reviews always me so happy.! Thank you xD lmfao, enjoy. Chapter five: An Odd Way of Becoming Closer.

* * *

"I guess so. I mean, why not?" Karin answered my question as we unloaded the car. They'd just gotten back and I had asked them to dinner at Rukia's.

"Cool." I said as I pulled down the tent box and the chairs. "What about you, Yuzu?"

"I'd love to Ichigo!" Yuzu replied with excitement in her voice. "But what about dad?"

"No." I stated flatly. "He's too much for them. Especially Byakuya. You don't throw something like that at people like the Kuchiki's."

"Okay." Karin and Yuzu said in unison but with different tones. "So who is this Rukia? I've never heard you talk about her?" Yuzu continued. "Is she your.." I covered her mouth before that sentence came fully out of her mouth. Dad maybe old but if girlfriends came out of anyone's mouth even if he was miles away he'd hear and rush over and yell in high hopes of grandchildren.

"Yuzu, you know dad." I pleaded, "Please don't finish that sentence." She nodded and I took my hand away from her mouth.

"Speaking of where's the old goat, he should be helping!" Karin said before she stomped off to search for him.

I sighed. "And no, Yuzu, she's not that. She's just a friend. I met her last week."

"Oh."

"TO HELL WITH COOKING! YOU'LL BURN THE HOUSE DOWN WITH YOUR CULINARY KNOWLEDGE!" We heard Karin scream before we heard the door fling open and saw our dad being thrown in the garage. "GET OUT HERE AND HELP YOU LAZY ASS!" She yelled.

"Karin, why are you so mean!" Our father cried with false tears. He crawled to Yuzu and pulled on the bottom of her shorts. His face was on the floor. "Yuzu, our Karin is being cruel ple.." His sentence was broken off by my foot kicking him in the trunk of the car. I shut the door and walked off.

"We're all done. Come on Yuzu." I put my hand on her shoulder and led her into the house. "So, you guys go clean up we have to leave in a little while. Oh, and pick out something to watch. Hisana wants to watch a movie or something with you guys."

"Why does it sound like this Hisana girl wants to meet us more than Rukia actually does?" Karin asked as she sat on the couch and turned the TV.

I sighed at her. "Because it is. Now go get ready." I told her as I took the remote from her and turned the TV off. She reluctantly got up and went to take a shower. I waited downstairs for them, recalling this morning.

"_Ichigo, it was so nice having you here." Hisana said from her spot next to Byakuya, who just nodded in agreement._

_I picked up my bag and looked at them, "Well, thanks for letting me stay here. Hisana your an amazing cook. Byakuya your…" I blankly started. "Uh, you're actually pretty cool." He actually chuckled at my statement._

"_Ichigo?" Hisana asked me. I looked up at her and my eyes answered her. "Your still coming to dinner tonight, correct?" She had so much excitement in her eyes there wasn't a way in hell I was going to say no._

"_I wouldn't dream of missing it. Yuzu and Karin'll love you guys." I told her honestly. Then I looked between her and Byakuya. "Where's Rukia?" I asked a bit puzzled that she wasn't saying good bye. I turned to Hisana she opened her mouth but was cut off by someone else's response._

"_Right here." Came a voice from down the hall. I turned to see the ever famous midget walking towards us."You didn't really think I wouldn't say good bye? Do you?"_

_I laughed, "Course not. I know how irresistible I am to you." I doubled over after she punched me in the gut. "Aha, I was just kidding."_

"_Yeah, yeah." She said, waving it off as if it were nothing. _

"_So we must be going I have to get to work after I drop Ichigo off." Byakuya said. I gapped at him, he never said my first name alone. "Don't stare, let's go, Kurosaki." And there goes the moment. I laughed at myself. "Bye Hisana, I'll see you after work." He said as he kissed her on the lips and rubbed her stomach._

_I looked at Rukia, she was looking at me with a smirk on her face and her arms crossed. "Bye Rukia." I blew her a mocking kiss._

_Her smirk turned into a glare. "Yeah," she gave me a small wave. "Bye Ichigo."_

"_Bye Hisana." I waved but she stepped forward and gave me a parting hug. I hesitated at first than I hugged her back. "Bye and thank you again." We parted and then me and Byakuya left._

"Maybe he's dead?"

"Don't say that, Karin. Ichigo?"

"Hey, Ichigo!" I heard the first voice say along with the punch that connected with my face. I jolted up. "Man, when you space out, you space out hard core." Karin said to me.

"Uh, sorry." I got up and looked at the clock. "Well, we better get heading there."

"Heading where, My son!" I heard my father yell as I saw him flying towards me I stealthily stepped aside.

"We going to dinner." I answered him as we began to the door.

"THEN I SHALL COME WITH!" He screamed as he came flying out direction again. I turned and punched him in the face.

"No the hell you aren't." I screamed at him.

"Sorry, Dad. I made you something it's in the fridge." Yuzu said as she hurried out behind Karin.

With that we left. I led the way with Yuzu and Karin a few feet behind. At first everything was quiet but then Yuzu ran beside me and put her small hand in mine. I looked at her confused she just smiled up at me. I smiled down at her.

"Ichigo?" She began.

I gave her my attention, "Yeah, Yuzu?"

"Do you like this Rukia girl?" She asked innocently.

"Of course I do, she's a really amazing friend." I stated. If I hated Rukia I wouldn't be taking them to Rukia's house to meet _Rukia_ and her family. I mean I can hate the midget at times but not full out hate her.

"No." Yuzu said, "Not like, I mean like _like_."

I began to tell her I didn't have feelings like that towards her but Yuzu gave me a look that told me that I was about to lie. To her and myself. "Ichigo." She said warningly.

I sighed and gave her an answer that I felt was truth enough. "Honestly Yuzu, I wish I knew." I smiled at her and she smiled back and squeezed my hand. Karin ran up to us and walked next to us with her hands in her pockets. I laughed and put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "You guys I love you, no girl will ever surpass that, okay?" I told them. "I'll always be your big brother first." Karin tried to hide her smile but I saw it and Yuzu hugged me. I threw Yuzu on my shoulders and held Karin hands, just to embarrass her. When we finally reached the Kuchiki's house we were all laughing because of jokes that Karin kept randomly telling. We didn't even need to ring the door bell. They had heard us laughing from outside and opened the door for us.

I let go of Karin hand, which she sighed a breath of relief from, and lifted Yuzu off of my shoulders and placed her on the ground. I looked up to see Rukia, Hisana, and Byakuya all smiling at us.

I cleared my throat. "Hey Rukia."

"Hi Ichigo."

"Hisana, Byakuya." I nodded towards them. Hisana looked like she was about to cry. Byakuya's just showed plain happiness.

"So," I turned to Yuzu and held out my hand. "Yuzu, Karin. That" I pointed to the raven haired midget. "is Rukia."

"Hello." Rukia said with a small wave.

Karin waved back but Yuzu ran up to her and hugged her, taking her by surprise but Rukia returned the hug. "Hello, Rukia." Yuzu then stepped back by my side.

"This," I turned to Rukia's twin. "Is Hisana, her older sister."

"Hi." Karin simply replied, while Yuzu repeated her actions towards Hisana as she had Rukia.

"Well, Hello, Yuzu." Hisana hugged Yuzu back. "Hello, Karin." Hisana offered Karin a soft smile, Karin smiled back.

"And this man," I shifted the attention to Byakuya. "Is Hisana's Husband and Rukia's brother. Byakuya Kuchiki." Though he seemed a little scary Yuzu jumped in the air and Byakuya caught her and she hugged him tightly. Byakuya was fairly stunned but hugged her back with as much force.

"Hello, Byakuya Kuchiki." Yuzu said.

He laughed, "Hello, Yuzu Kurosaki." He set her down and she ran to Rukia's side and held her hand, smiling up at her. Byakuya smiled at them and then turned to Karin. "Karin Kurosaki." He held his hand out.

Karin stared at it for a second then clasped his hand tightly, shook his hand, and smiled at him. "Byakuya Kuchiki."

He smiled back at her.

"Can I sit next to Rukia at the dinner table?" Yuzu asked and looked at me.

"Of course." I look up at Rukia. She was smiling down at Yuzu. Then Yuzu walked between Hisana and Rukia and grabbed both of their hands.

She looked up at both of them, "And beside Hisana?"

Hisana giggled and bent down next to Yuzu, "Yuzu, dear, would you like to help me cook and arrange everyone's seat at the table?"

Yuzu's eyes sparkled, "Yes! I'd love to, Hisana." She let go of Rukia's hand and began to walk away. "Rukia are you going to help."

"The kitchen isn't my forte." Rukia said apologetically to my sister. Yuzu simply nodded and walked away hand in hand with Hisana to the kitchen. "We can start watching what did you choose?"

I turned to Karin who had the DVD's. She pulled them out and I almost yelled at Karin for picking what she chose. She smirked at my surprised eyes. Rukia walked over to her and took the DVD's out of her hand and examined them confused.

"What is _Red vs. Blue_?" She turned the case around in her hands. She looked at Byakuya, he shrugged. Then turned to me.

"Just a weird little cartoon about robots in a.." I began to explain.

"Cool, let's begin it." Rukia interrupted me and went to the living room's DVD player and popped the DVD in.

_Ten Minutes Later__**.**_

_** "Okay, everybody. I'm going to give Tucker his physical now. Would either of you like to assist?" Said a man in a light purple armor suit.**_

_** "That's just a fancy way of saying hold the vomit bucket." Said another with an evil laugh.**_

_** "Uhh, sorry, I'm busy." Said a teal color armored man.**_

_** "Caboose?" Said the light purple one to a dark blue one.**_

_** "I can't." Said the one named Caboose.**_

_** "Well, why not?"**_

_** "Oh, uh because I am allergic to things that I don't want to do. Ehugh, coughing."**_

_** "Okay, just more fun for me." Said that purple one as he left.**_

_** After it flashed to a scene with the opposing team that were in different shades of red trying to overtake the Blue team it went back to the blue team with the diagnoses.**_

_** "Hey, guys. I figured out what's wrong." The lightly purple armored doctor announced.**_

_** "What is it, Doc?" Church asked.**_

_** "You're not gonna like the diagnoses." Doc said.**_

_** "Hahaha, which is ironic because I think it's absolutely delightful." The evil one said.**_

_** "Just tell us, Doc, we can take it." Church said calmly.**_

_** "Your friend is.." Doc started.**_

_** "Dying?" Caboose interrupted, "Oh no."**_

_** "No, he's not dying. He just has…"**_

_** "No chance to live." Caboose interrupted again, "I knew it." He said sadly**_

_** "Caboose. One more interruption out of you and he's gonna have two patients." Church said harshly.**_

_** The doctor sighed and continued, "How do I say this. You friend is…" He paused.**_

_** "Why are you pausing?" Church questioned. "Caboose is not gonna interrupt you this time."**_

_** "Nah, that was just for dramatic effect. He's pregnant."**_

_** "Oh, good." Caboose sighed in relief. "Wait, what?"**_

_** "Muahaha, preggers." Laughed O'Maley.**_

_** "Alright are we paying for this service because if we are, I want a refund. And if were not, I want a refund anyway." Church said.**_

_** "No, it's true. We found two heart beats. So unless he has two hearts, the only logical explanation is that he's pregnant… I think." Doc explained.**_

_** "HOW IS THAT A LOGICAL EXPLAINATION!" Church yelled. "Alright one of the two of you has some explaining to do." He turned to a tiny bomb and Caboose. **_

_** "Don't look at me! Tuckers not my type." Laughed the bomb.**_

_** "Shyeah, me neither." Caboose stated. "And… uh, maybe we should um, have the doctor explain uh, just how babies are made, ya know, uh, in case someone in the group uhh, may not exactly know how that happens." **_

_** "Oh my god, Caboose. SHUT UP. Andy, blow up. Doc, your fired, get out of here. Imm go shot Tucker." Church said.**_

_** "No! You said we had to tell you what's wrong, you didn't say we had to be right or that we had to fix him, YOU FOOL! HAhaha, read the fine print. Classic blunder. Haha." O'Maley laughed.**_

_** "First of all, I am right, now we are going to help him." Doc stated.**_

_** "What?" O'Maley and Church said in unison.**_

_** "Look no one's ever seen anything like this before! I don't know anything about what caused this or how to help him but with heart and true determination we can get him through this." Doc said hopefully.**_

_** "yeah, we don't want heart and determination, Doc. What we want is a degree from in credited, medical institution." Church said.**_

_** "Yeah, or four years equivalent work experience." Andy the bomb stated.**_

_** Doc sighed, "Come see for yourself."**_

_** "Fine." Church said.**_

_** "Uhhh, I think I need to stay here and guard….. this .." Caboose looked around. "Rock. From Tucker because I'm pretty sure that's how all this started." He whispered.**_

_** "Alright what's wrong you seem nervous?"**_

_** "What if Tucker is contagious? I do not want to catch pregnancy." Caboose said.**_

_** "Hey, no one is pregnant and seriously, Caboose? When I get done with this we gotta have little talk, man. There's a book I have that we could read together." Church told him.**_

_** After a pause Caboose replied, "I'd like that."**_

_** "Maybe you can have the bowling ball fill you in on some of the basic's." O'Maley laughed. "Let me get you started, there's three holes."**_

_** "Oh, gross."**_

_** "I meant in the bowling ball."**_

By the end of the episode everyone, including Byakuya and Karin, were on the floor laughing as hard as we possibly could.

"Hey everyone?" Yuzu walked in and looked at the floor confused at us all laying there. "Uh, are you okay?" We all gasped trying to recover.

Byakuya recovered first, "Yes, Yuzu?"

"Uhh, Dinners ready?"

"Okay, we are coming." Byakuya told her. Everyone got up from the floor and began a slow walk to the kitchen.

"Where are we all sitting, Y-y-y-yuzu?" Karin asked between gasps. Everyone looked at the triangular table, it was set for six.

"Uh, Hisana's at the head." Yuzu placed her hand on top of the chair position at the end of the table. "I'm here." She said to the chair to the right of the head seat. "Rukia." She pointed to the chair next to hers. "Ichigo." She pointed to the chair at the other end of the table. "Karin." She said to the chair at the right of Ichigo's chair. "And Byakuya." She said to the chair next to Karin and to the left of Hisana.

"Okay." Karin said as everyone tool their seats. When Hisana came in to serve, everyone was trying to hold their laughter but giggles would slip from their mouths now and again.

"What's wrong?" She asked in concern.

"Nothing, love." Byakuya smiled at Hisana. She just shrugged it off.

Once everything was served, everyone said there thanks and began eating. Everyone had calmed down enough to eat. Small conversations were going around the table.

"So you like soccer?"

"Did your dad want to come?"

"What is your father like?"

"I wonder if the ice cream man passes our house."

"When are you due?"

"Hey, Rukia?" I asked Rukia.

"Yes?" I put on a concerned face and look Rukia fully in the eyes. Everyone turned to our conversation. "I do not want to catch pregnancy." I simply stated.

And everyone lost it, again. But the best part was Byakuya. He had been taking a drink his tea when I said that and he spit out. Luckily, Yuzu, who was sitting across from him, was up getting something out of the oven. She walked in as it happened, "Thank God, I was up getting out the cookies." She stared at her seat.

Everyone laughed at her, Hisana laughed at her husband's actions and Yuzu's statement. We we're all so laid back together, it was relieving. I turned to Rukia who was holding her stomach. She looked beautiful in my eyes as she laughed. I shook my head when I realized what I had just thought.

"Well, that was delicious." I said. "Yuzu. Hisana." I nodded to them.

"Thank you, Ichigo." They said together, joy all over their faces.

"I think we should take dessert into the living room and finish the DVD." Rukia said.

"Agreed." Karin, Byakuya, and I said.

After we finished, we headed to the living room, each with a plate of cookies. We sat, ate and enjoyed the DVD.

Afterwards, Hisana and Yuzu were in the same state as we were before dinner and they understood what had happened.

"Oh, my I need to the dishes." Hisana said.

"Can I help?" Yuzu asked.

"Of course. Rukia?"

"I'd love to."

The three girls head to the kitchen as Byakuya, Karina, and I cleaned the Living Room. When the trash was piled up I took it to the kitchen to throw it away. I stopped outside the door when I heard three voices singing happily.

_Dream Dream oikose Real World  
Scream Scream uchi nara se Get voice_

_Heart Heart ushinawa reta Smile  
STAY BEAUTFUL  
Kick Kick muki au sou Cool world  
Big Big uchi nara se Emotion  
Heart Heart my spirit of strong so tough tough tough_

_STAY BEAUTIFUL_

It was Yuzu's favorite song. She always sang it when cleaning. She especially loved singing it with people she cared about. Everyone else gathered around me as we watched the girls singing. I smiled as I watched Rukia. She swayed as she sang. She really was gorgeous.

When the song came to an end, they had finished the dishes, and we clapped. They swiftly turned around and laugh with mocking bows. Rukia made eye contact with me and nodded.

'_This turned out to be an amazing dinner.'_ I thought to myself.

* * *

"Thank you so much for coming, Yuzu. Karin." I said to Ichigo's twin sisters. We were sitting at the kitchen table, while Byakuya, Hisana, and Ichigo were in the living room. "I haven't had this much fun at dinner in… actually never." I laughed. "We should do this more often."

Yuzu's eyes brightened up, she smiled the brightest smile I have ever seen. "And maybe one day our father can come. And mommy!" Yuzu said. Though I had met them just mere hours ago, they already felt like family to me. "Rukia?" I looked at the short, brown haired. "You're like an older sister to me, already." I was shocked to hear what Yuzu had just stated. It was as if she was reading my mind.

"Same here, Yuzu." I hugged her. "I see you as my little sister too, Karin." The black haired tomboy looked at me. At first, her eyes didn't really show anything but then her eyes glowed and she smiled at my statement.

"Yuzu! Karin! Come on, we're leaving." We heard a deep voice that could only belong to one certain Strawberry.

"Okay!" Yuzu grabbed my hand and we walked to the front door.

"Thanks for coming, you guys!" Hisana said and hugged Yuzu and Karin.

"No problem at all!" Yuzu replied.

"Yeah." Karin agreed.

"Goodbye, Byakuya." Yuzu said, running to and hugging him.

He laughed at the younger twins' reaction, "Goodbye, Little Yuzu." He said, releasing her. "Goodbye, Karin." He held out his hand and Karin grabbed it firmly for a farewell shake. He then turned to Ichigo with his hand still extended. "Good bye, Kurosaki." Ichigo nodded and took Ichigo's hand.

"See you, Byakuya." He replied. "Goodbye, Hisana." Said girl stepped forward and hugged him, he smiled and patted her back, then releasing her. He then turned to me and lifted his hand to wave. "See you tomorrow, Midget."

"Yeah, bye, Strawberry." I waved back.

"Oh, my." I heard Hisana say, I then felt a firm push on my back and I began to fall forward. I fell. Straight into Ichigo's arms. We stayed like that for a minute in our awkward hug. I blushed then stepped away from him.

"Bye." They all said as they stepped outside and headed home. We watched them walk away. Ichigo put Yuzu on his back and you could see her fall asleep as they put more and more distance from our house. Karin just dragged her feet for a while until we saw Ichigo pick her up and held her in his arm as if she were a small baby.

"He has a lovely family." Hisana said as we stepped back inside. I nodded in agreement. "I can't wait to meet their mother and father."

"Hey, why don't we have a Kuchiki/Kurosaki family picnic?" I thought aloud.

"Rukia!" Hisana said, "That's a fantastic idea." She squealed. "Talk to Ichigo about it tomorrow at school.

I saluted her and said, "Yes, Ma'am." We laughed.

"Better get to bed." We turned to Byakuya. "It's late."

Indeed it was. It was almost ten and I had school tomorrow. "Alright." I gave Hisana a hug and kiss on the cheek, "Goodnight, Sana-chan." I repeated it with Byakuya, which caught him of guard. "G'night, Byakuya."

He quickly recovered and hugged and kissed my cheek, "Goodnight, little sister." I smiled at him. It was the first time he had called me his little sister. I went to bed happier that night than any other night in my life.

At school the next day, I confronted Ichigo at lunch with my genius plan. I explained to him how Hisana and I wanted to have a Kuchiki/Kurosaki family picnic. We were on the school rooftop and he was just staring at me and his eyes seem kind of planned until he finally screamed, "Are you freaking crazy!"

"Why? What's wrong with bonding?" I questioned him.

"No, Rukia. That is not our problem." Something stirred in the pit of my stomach when he said _our_, I shook the feeling. I need to stay focused. "My **father** is our problem. He's a effing psycho. I don't want him near you!" There was that feeling again. I saw a faint blush on his cheeks as I turned my face away. "Or your pregnant sister. Byakuya will kill him. I nodded.

"Fine, we'll postpone it for a week. So not this Saturday, but next Saturday." I stated firmly. "Okay?"

"You won't just give up on this idea completely, will you?" He asked me and I shook my head. He sighed. "Fine, fine."

"Then, it is settled, Mr. Kurosaki." I began to walk away as the lunch bell rang. "Tell, Yuzu and Karin. They can help plan." He rolled his eye and followed me back to class.

That day after school I was greeted with two young Kurosaki's at my house.

"Yuzu? Karin?" I said their names with excitement. "What are you two doing here?" I smiled at them.

Yuzu was in a cute, little orange and white flower designed sundress while Karin was in simple red basketball short and a black t-shirt. They both had clipboards equipped with paper and pens. They smiled back up to me. "Ichigo told us that you and Hisana decided to plan a Kuchiki/Kurosaki picnic and said you would like our help." Karin nodded at Yuzu's words.

"Of course. Come in." I stepped aside for them to pass in. I ran ahead of them and down to Hisana's room. "Hisana! Guess who's here!"

Hisana walked out of her room with her hands on her stomach, "Who's he.." She looked up and saw the twins, her face instantly began to shine. "Yuzu! Karin! What are you doing here!" She quickly ran to them and hugged them tightly.

"They're here to begin planning for the picnic." I answered for them.

"Oh, then let us go to the kitchen. I'll start baking cookies and we'll plan." We head to the kitchen to begin.

And that was how it went for the rest of the week. Yuzu and Karin would come over after school and we'd sit in the kitchen and planned for the picnic. It was fun getting closer to the younger Kurosaki's and everyday that passed they felt more and more like sisters. It made me happy to see out families combined Ichigo would help with planning some days but usually it was just Hisana, the girls, and I. On Thursday we had discussed, more like Byakuya demanded, we take a break of planning. He said he had to talk to Hisana about something important and we had no school on Friday. So all Friday morning I was completely bored until…

"Rukia." Came Byakuya's voice from down the hall. I looked up from the manga I was reading and looked behind me.

"Yes?"

"Pack clothes for three days." He told me as he made his way down the hall. I closed my manga and stood up,

"Sure but why?" I asked, staying in place. I had questions in my and he saw them, I knew he did.

"Just hurry." He stated then walked back down the hall; I nodded and did as told.

Five minutes later and the three of us were packing our suitcase's into the trunk of Byakuya's car. Once we finally started driving I asked what had been bothering me. "So can someone explain to…"

"Rukia, Hisana and I need to go on an urgent business meeting and we'll be gone all weekend." Byakuya told me and I didn't miss how he said only_ Hisana and him_ were going on a business trip.

"And I'm going…. Where?"

"Here." Byakuya stated as he pulled up and parked in front of a house I have never seen before. "Come on." He said as he begin to get out and walked to the back of the car to get my luggage.

"Bye, Ru-chan. Love you." Hisana said.

"Bye, love you, too, Sana-chan." I said as I leaned over to the front and kissed her on the cheek, "See you, Sunday?"

"Monday." She said. "Have fun."

I got out of the car and followed Byakuya up to the front door. He rang the bell and waited for it to be answered, I stood by his side and waited as well. When the door opened I almost groaned with distaste. I _had_ to stay here.

"Rukia? Byakuya?" The orange headed teen said.

"Kurosaki, I am going to ask you something extremely important. Which means I am giving you high grounded trust." Byakuya said firmly to Ichigo, who had a really confused facial expression on.

"Er, okay?" He said confused.

"Hisana and I must leave for a business trip immediately. Rukia is not permitted to go. Do, I am asking for your permission for her to stay her until Monday."

"Um, hold on." Ichigo shut the door and we heard running, yelling, and crashing. Ichigo opened the door breathing heavily. "Yeah, sure, it's fine."

Byakuya glared at him for a second then turned to me. "Rukia, I'll see you Monday. Take care."

"I will, Brother." I told him before I hugged him. It was tense hug at first but he relaxed a bit and hugged me back.

"We'll see you Monday after school." He said before he head back to the car. I watched them go and waved at them until the car was out of site.

"Rukia, when we go inside…" Ichigo began but trailed off, I looked up at him and saw worry in his eyes.

"Yes?"

He looked me up and down before he continued, "Just stay behind me." I looked up at him questioningly but nodded in agreement. He picked up my suitcase and we walked inside, he slowly made his way in. I looked at his house. It was beautiful, so I saw no reason on why he'd want to hide or protect me from it. That was until I heard.

"AWWW, DEAR RUKIA!" I looked up to see a middle aged man flying towards us and he sparkled with delight. "I have heard so much about you! ARE YOU HEAR TO FINALLY TAKE YOU SPOT AS MY THIRD DAUGHTER?" Right when he was about to tackle me into what I presumed would have been a very painful hug, Ichigo punched him smack in the face and held him to the floor.

"DON'T TRY TO ATTACK RUKIA!" Ichigo screamed in my defense.

"Very protective, I see my son, that's understandable." He cried.

Ichigo sighed and put my suitcase down. "Rukia, as you can probably see, this idiot is my father, Isshin." He waved his hand towards the ground. He quickly got to his feet and grasped my hand.

"My dear third daughter, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." He bowed in front of me.

I giggled. "It's a pleasure to meet you to..er, uh, Isshin." I said with giggle.

"NO!" He said as fell to the ground as if I had stuck and arrow through his heart. "Please, Rukia. Call me father!"

"Er, okay." He was now on both his knees and looking up at me with pure hope. "Father."

Isshin jumped around the entire house for about half an hour before Ichigo threw him outside like a dog being punished. "Rukia!" I heard two voices yell. I looked up to see Yuzu and Karin coming down the stairs. Yuzu instantly jumped into my arms and Karin waited for her hug. "What are you doing here?" Yuzu asked with happiness.

"Well, Hisana and Byakuya and Hisana need to go on an urgent trip and I wasn't a loud to go, I never am. But in the past I'd stay with sitters. This," I waved my hand at them and Ichigo. "I'd have to say is way better then a sitter."

"How long are you staying?" Karin questioned.

"Uh, just the weekend I believe."

"Yay!" Yuzu yelled.

Isshin had made his way back inside and was standing calmly on the sides, "So, to welcome my third daughter why don't we go to dinner and a movie." He said with a clam cool voice. Everyone nodded in agreement and began to think of places to go.

"Oh, Rukia, you must be wondering where you'll be sleeping." Yuzu turned to me, I nodded at her. "You'll stay in our room!" I smiled at her "Come on, grab your bag and I'll show you." I walked to my bag and attempted to pick it up but I had stuffed more than I can carry in that suitcase so this was going to be difficult. I suddenly felt the bag lighten and I look up to see Ichigo picking it up.

"I can get it myself." I pouted and crossed my arms.

"Liar. Come on, Short stuff." He said while he began up the stairs, he stopped halfway up and turned around. "You coming or not?" He laughed when I scrambled to catch up. We passed a few doors that Ichigo labeled for me as we passed them. "Bathroom, Closet, My Room, Dad's room." We finally stopped outside a opened door. I looked inside to see two beds, one neatly made the other wasn't, and an extremely, comfortable looking cot in between both.

"That's for me?" I asked.

"Yeah." The twins said together. This was really cool. I've never really had sleepovers.

"Thanks." I said and sat on the makeshift bed. Ichigo set my luggage near the door and leaned against the doorframe.

"Rukia since we're going out for you. Where do you want to go out to?"He asked me, looking directly in my eyes. That stupid fluttery feeling came back to my stomach and I looked away.

His questioned remained in my head. Where I want to go?

"I know."

"You wanted to come here why?" Ichigo screamed in my ear.

We we're in one of those weird fast food places that had hundreds of little kids running around with balloon hats and swords and a playground. I was in awe as I looked around. I smelled the greasy burgers and fries. "Byakuya doesn't a loud me to these kinds of places."

He grumbled and I ignored it. When Isshin brought back our food I stuffed myself until I could barely move. I groaned.

"You shouldn't have eaten so damn fast." Ichigo scolded me.

"Shut," I hiccupped."Up." I laughed and I just laid my head on the table.

"So, what movie would you like to see?" Ichigo asked.

"You choose. To full. To pick." I said.

"Yuzu? Karin?" Ichigo turned to them.

"Well, considering that Rukia looks really beat, why don't we go home and watch a movie?" I heard Karin suggest.

"Okay." I felt arms wrap around my waist and the next thing I knew I was in Ichigo's arms, bridal style. I groaned again. My stomach was aching.

When we reached the house and walked inside Ichigo sat me on the couch. Yuzu and Karin went through movies to watch and popped one in once they finally decide. And just like that my first night at the Kurosaki's ended.

The next morning, I woke up in my assigned bed; not remembering how I got there. I woke to food that made my stomach growl. I got up and looked around no one was in here so I ran downstairs. When I hit the bottom everyone turned to me. "Morning!'" Everyone said in sync.

"Morning." I said to them.

"Hungry, Rukia?" Yuzu said from the stove. My mouth watered as I watched her, I nodded. She giggled, "Take a seat, my seat is next to Karin. Yours is next to Ichigo." She smiled and I took my assigned seat. Ichigo was already eating his breakfast, more like stuffing as I had the night before. I laughed at him and looked up at me. His wet hair hung in front of his eyes and he blushed a bit, just like I had. I looked away as Yuzu set a plate down in front of me. I looked down at my plate, it was three waffles stacked on to each other with a smiley face in whip cream and a strawberry nose and bacon on the side. I pour syrup on it and began scooping my food.

"Don't stuff yourself again," I turned at Ichigo who was smirking at me. "I don't want you passing out again and have to carry you to bed."

_'He carried me to bed?' _I thought and blushed at the thought. "I WON'T!" I yelled him and began to stuff myself again.

After breakfast, Ichigo and I sat on the couch playing video games. I was upside down with my legs crossed and sticking up and my head was hanging over the edge. Ichigo just sat regularly. We played as many games as we could including Karaoke Revolution. When we finished our horrible singing, actually my voice was quite good, Ichigo on the other hand wasn't as blessed, we fell onto the couch laughing.

We were both tilted towards each other on the couch, my head was on his shoulder and his head rested on top of my head. We were both breathing hard and still slightly laughing. I looked at him with, probably, the goofiest grin on my face. He looked down at me and we just froze our grins fell and we just looked in each other's eyes. His amber pools seemed to be endless. I noticed our face slowly grew closer and then…

"Hey Rukia!" We both jumped to opposite sides of the couch, blushing bright red. Yuzu ran in front of us and notice our positions. "What were you doing?" She asked innocently and grinning.

"Nothing! Just playing a game! Some, ahah." We jumbled out at the same time.

She laughed at us, "Okay, whatever. Rukia would you like to make cookies with me." I jumped off the couch.

"I'd love too!"

Fifteen minutes later, we were putting the ingredients in the bowl and I must have screwed something up because when Yuzu put it in the oven it exploded. We we're covered in uncooked cookies and laughing. I went and changed and we tried again. The same result each time. On the fourth try, and my last set of clothes; my pajamas, we were extremely careful. We changed the cookies to a cake. We put it in the oven and waited. The oven didn't explode but when we took out the cake and screamed with success, the cake exploded. We groaned and that was when Ichigo decided to walk in.

"What the_ hell_ are you doing!" He screamed as he walked into the kitchen. He took a once over of the kitchen and us. "What happened?"

"Well, Rukia was very true when she said the kitchen isn't her forte." Yuzu laughed.

"Go change!" Ichigo yelled at me.

I looked down at myself. This had been my last set of clothes. Crap. "Um, well, I don't have anymore."

He glared at me for a second. "Follow me." I did as commanded. He led me to his room which I haven't been in until now. I looked around, his room was so boring. He rumble around his room for a while, then he turned to me with a purple shirt that read _Nice Vibe_ and some basketball shorts. He handed them to me. "Go take a shower." I nodded and he left the room.

After I showered, I put the clothes on. Yes, they were over sized but comfy. When I came downstairs Ichigo glance at me from the corner of his eyes and I saw a slight blush cover his cheeks.

That night his family went out for dinner and a movie but me and Ichigo stayed home. We made our own dinner, well, Ichigo cooked I watched. Then we sat down and watched a movie. And we fell asleep. Ichigo's arm around my shoulders and my head on his chest.

* * *

Rukia and I woke up the next morning to a constant doorbell. I softly pushed her off me and took a minute to admire her sleeping form.

Maybe, Yuzu was right. I possibly could be falling for this short Kuchiki. Any other thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell again.

I answered it to be greeted with a glaring Kuchiki. "Hello, Kurosaki."

"Uh, morning." I replied, "What're you doing here?" I asked him.

"To pick up Rukia." He said, walking in. "Our trip ended earlier than expected." I nodded.

"Alright. I'll go wake her up." I walked over to the still sleeping form that was Rukia. I began to slightly shake her shoulder. "Hey, Rukia. Um, wake up."

"Ichhiggo." She slurred.

"Yeah?"

"I…grove…" She mumbled.

"What?" I asked. Was she even really awake? I shook her shoulder again. "Rukia!"

"KUROSAKI! YOU HAD MY SISTER SLEEP ON A COUCH?" A voice boomed behind me.

"No, of course not!" I quickly defended myself. "She just happened to fall asleep her last night."

He still glared at me. "Byakuya?" We turned to a still groggy Rukia. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll explain later." Rukia nodded and got up, "Go get your things." Rukia nodded again and ran upstairs. Byakuya and I just stood there in an awkward silence, until we heard Rukia dragging her suitcase down. I was going to help her but Byakuya got to her before me.

"Thank you, Brother." She said then turned to me. "Thank you so much, Ichigo." She blushed and suddenly became interested in the wooden floors. "For uh, letting me stay here." The moment we had on the couch yesterday flashed in my head and when she looked at me, I know it flashed in her head to.

"Yeah, of course." I replied.

"Say your farewells for now, Rukia. I'll wait for you in the car." With that Byakuya walked gracefully out.

"So tell the twins I said bye and I'll see them for tomorrows planning." She said. I nodded. "And tell …father," She seemed to have complications getting that word out but it was understandable. "I said thank you."

"No problem, Rukia." I could see in her eyes she was really trying to decide something.

"Bye Ichigo." She said and ran to me and kissed my cheek before she ran outside. I walked to the door just to see her get in the car. I waved at her as the car took off.

"Bye, Rukia." I said to her even though I knew she couldn't hear me. I touched my cheek. I could feel the blush. I went back to the couch and laid there for the next hour. Thinking about everything but mainly her. Was Yuzu right? I'm starting to think she might be. Huh, I subconsciously touched my cheek again. Then, I remember… She stole my clothes, a small smile grazes my lips at this realization.

"Where's Rukia?" I heard but didn't connect the voice with anyone.

"She went home." I replied.

"Okay." Said the voice and then they walked away.

_Rukia Kuchiki, I think I just might be falling in love with you.

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_

7,025 words.! Not including the authors note in the beginning and end. Longest chapter yet.! Just for you guys.! Hehe, REVIEW and tell me what you think.? It's mostly Rukia's POV:] Just because. Yeah, this chapter and the next one are just filler chapters.! Sorry, the drama will start in Chapter 7, kay.? Much love.

Xoxo,

_**Preview for next chapter:**_

_**The Kuchiki/Kurosaki picnic.! Are Ichigo and Rukia going to realize what is obvious to everyone else.? And how about a little trip to Disneyland California.?**_


	7. With Chances Taken, Hope Embraced

13,476 Words.! That's 23 pages.! Hehe, this chapter took me FOREVER to write. It is the last filler chapter before the real story happens.! Thank you to all readers, reviewers, and people who favorited this story.! I love you all:] I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I get some sleep. It's 12:50 AM I've been working late nights on this chapter and am barely getting any sleep~ That's bad D; Haha, I hope you enjoy this :o Sorry to any mistakes I just didn't feel like checking over it ~.~ Too tired and I **REALLY** just wanted to get this up.! Well, I love you and enjoy Chapter Six.

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"Ichigo?"

It was Wednesday and school was taking too long to end. My head was rested on my desk on top of my crossed arms. I looked up, using only my eyes to see who had called me. I saw pineapple spiked, red hair. "What's up, Renji?"

"Want to go hang out after school?" He tilted his head and looked at me curiously. I sighed and nodded as my answer.

"Alright," He said and began to walk back to his own desk as the lunch bell rang. "See you later." I straightened up and looked out the window, leaning my hand on to the palm of my hand. Today was boring because Rukia had to go to the doctor for a checkup and she said she wasn't going to school after because she said she didn't feel like going to school today. I asked to see if she wanted to meet after school and just hang out, but she said her and the twins were still planning. Why the hell would need two weeks to plan a simple picnic I won't ever understand. On the upside after this stupid picnic was Spring Break. Finally.

I waited the time out and the school bell that signal the end of the day rang. I got up and Renji walked over to my desk. I threw my bag over my shoulder and we exited the classroom.

"So where do you want to go?" I asked.

"Eh?" He looked at me and I just kept my gaze straight ahead, which turned out to be an awesome idea because when Renji looked at me seconds later he walked into a poll.

I shadowed over him, "I swear, sometimes I wonder if you use your brain or eyes for anything other than looking and thinking about girls." Renji was ridiculous; he dated a hundred girls and was currently stuck in a situation he called "Syrup Stuck." I constantly told him that was the stupidest name in the world but he said he just came up with it on the spot the first time it happened and said it stuck. When he was in 'Situation Syrup Stuck' it meant he was falling for the girl he was dating and need to find a way out. He said that he thought the girl he was with, who just happened to be a childhood friend of mine, might just be different and that'd he might keep her longer. Naturally, I told Tatsuki this she just laughed and said.

_"Thanks for the head up, Ichigo."_

I put my hand out and helped Renji back to his feet, which made me think of the first time I had met Rukia. I smiled.

"Are you smiling?" Renji questioned.

"What? No." I let my smile drop and glared at him, he grinned at me and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Che, so where are we going?" I asked and looked away.

"I don't know? My house." I nodded at that. That meant him ranting about random things, constant drabble about Tatsuki, and video games. Which I guessed was okay with me.

We walked the rest of the way in complete silence and when we reached his house he brought up a conversation that I didn't want to talk about. Especially not Renji of all people. "So that Rukia girl…"

"What about her?" I tried to make my voice sound as if I didn't care.

"She's kind of hot, right?" I saw him take a quick glance at me from the corner of his eyes.

"Not really." I said truthfuly, I wouldn't call it lying because I thought she was beautiful. Renji just had to use the most boyish words. It was disgusting sometimes.

"Okay, Ichigo. Cut the crap, I was walking around the neighborhood the other morning, Sunday morning to be specific, and saw Rukia leaving _your _house in _your _clothes." Renji began.

"So what?"

"So what! So what happened? She left with her older brother does he know what you guys did? Did he send you an invitation to your death!" Renji threw questions at me like a softball pitching machine.

"Renji." He paused. "Shut up. Nothing happened, her brothers not going to kill me." I said as I took a soda from his fridge. "Byakuya and Hisana had a business meeting so they had to leave for the weekend and they asked if Rukia could stay at my house."

"And she was in your clothes because..?" He pushed.

"She blew up one too many sets of cookies and cakes." I replied.

"Are you and her family close?" He asked.

"My family and her family are quite close, yes."

"Really? Why?"

"Just because." Renji nodded at my answer, it was a me kind of answer.

"Have you fallen in love with Miss Kuchiki?" He asked randomly. I choked on my soda and turned to him. Was he serious? I can't answer that. Not yet, at least.

I coughed to clear my throat. "C-c-course not."

"Right… because big man Ichigo doesn't fall in love." He puffed up his chest and made a mocking voice, "Yes, Renji, I don't fall in love. What an absurd idea." He laughed at his own mimic. I stood there and glared at him.

"Shut up."

He laughed and plopped down on his couch and turned on the television and began his games. So it was _God of War _now? Renji beat games like it was a daily activity.

"But seriously. What's up with you and her, you seem pretty close to her having only met her a while back." He questioned me; his eyes were glued to the screen as he played.

"Nothing."

He shook his head at me. "I don't know it doesn't look like nothing."

I really wish that Renji would stop interrogating me. It's not like anything is going on between us. But that moment when are faces had been so close we could've… I shook my head to erase the image. I sighed, yeah, I had admitted that I might be falling in love with Miss Rukia Kuchiki but my key word is MIGHT. I jumped on the couch next to Renji and watched I usually just do that. I didn't really play these types of games.

My eyes zoned in on a bag of Hot Cheetos that were sitting on the coffee table that Renji's feet were propped up on. I reached over and grabbed the bag, I examined it and looked at the expiration date. _April 24, 2010._Still good for a while. "When'd you open these?"

"Uhh," The pineapple spiked, red head glanced over to the bad then shot back to the screen. "This morning."

I took a cheeto out and tasted it. It wasn't gross and hard so began to eat more. Renji eventually got so into his game he forgot all about his interrogation.

_'Thank God.'

* * *

_

"RUKIA.!"

I turned at the sound of my name. It was a fairly well developed girl with auburn hair. O.. o..o err. Orihime, right that was her name. I remember he she had questioned me to no end once after school because she saw me and Ichigo walking together the day before. "Eh, hello, Orihime." I said to her with a tiny wave. I sort of didn't like this girl, she seemed to sort of hate me for a reason I don't even know. Her light brown eyes stared down at me.

She ran up to me and began to walk with me. "What are you up too?" She asked but not fully interested.

"Um, just walking home."

"From where?"

Here goes another interrogation. I sighed, "The Kurosaki Home."

Her eyes instantly narrowed and I could see the anger she was horribly trying to hide. "Why?" She seemed to have gotten more interested the second I said the word 'Kurosaki'. She was strange.

"I was talking to Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki, along with my sister, about…" I can't tell her about the picnic. I don't know why but something told me that if I told her about it she'd 'accidentally' come to it and knowing full well someone would invite her to stay. "…Err, about this movie we wanted to see," She might ask if she can go. "But can't because it's ...not… playing, yeah, at a close theatre." I nodded satisfied with my excuse.

I saw her face sort of fall as if she had been planning on what I had thought earlier. "Oh, that's horrible, I'm sorry to hear that."

_'Hehe, you're probably not.' _

"Was Ichigo planning on going with you." She continued questioning.

"No. No he wasn't, it was going to be a girl thing." I started to think on it, if she'd ask what movie we wanted to see, we were so going to be screwed.

"What was the movie?" _Shit._

"Uh,"

_BUZZ BUZZ. BUZZ BUZZ._

Thank the Gods my phone started ringing. I slipped it out of my back pocket and read the name.

_**Ichigo Kurosaki.**_

I saw Orihime trying to read the name on my screen. I pushed the phone to my chest.

"Hold on a second." I said with a small smile. I flipped the phone open and put it to my ear, quickly, so she wouldn't get a glimpse of the name. "Hi, Hisana."

_"Wha..? Hisana? Idiot, is your phone getting caller ID messed up?"_

I sighed then put a fake smile on, "I'm on my way home now, Sister, I'm just talking to a girl from school. _Orihime." _ I put a huge emphasis on her name so he would catch on.

_"Oh. I get it. Well, I'm at the Ice Cream parlor down the street from my house. Want to come?" _

"Sure, Hisana. I'll hurry home right now." I nodded even thought he couldn't see me.

_"Alright. See you soon."_ He grumbled out.

"I'm so sorry, Orihime." I began walking backwards, "I have to get home. See you tomorrow at school!" I turned frontward and took off.

Gosh, I wish she'd just leave me alone. Whenever she got a chance to harass me with question about Ichigo and I, she took it.

I ran all the way until I got to the parlor that Ichigo was talking about. I was breathing heavy with my hands on my knees and looking at the ground.

"You didn't have to run." I looked up and saw Ichigo push of the wall of the front of the Ice Cream Parlor. He walked towards me and leaned over so we were face to face. I'm glad as I was sort of out of breath that way he would mistake my blush from the running and not the close proximity of our faces. I stood up straight.

"Well.." I gulped. "I didn't want to be further interrogated by your girlfriend." I took a step back and crossed my arms. When I had said _girlfriend _I felt some weird pang shot through my chest. It made me sort of mad. I glared up at the orange head teenager that now toward over me.

He glared down at me and scoffed. "Whatever. The psycho is not my girlfriend."

"She sure seems like it." I said, he turned away from me and shook his head. "Are we getting ice cream or what?"

He shrugged and walked towards the door. He opened it and waited. I sort of just stared at him. He looked at me and then smirked, "You're supposed to walk in."

"I'm not retarded, I know." I marched through the door not even glancing at him. He snickered and followed me. We walked up to the counter and looked at the list of ice cream. I almost fainted.

_'How the hell are there this many types of ice cream?'_

"Confused on what to get?" He whispered to me. I nodded and read the names of each one. The names all seemed to be ice cream and fruits. Chocolate Strawberry? Vanilla Orange? What was this stuff!

"We will take Strawberry Vanilla's with Oreo crumbs." I looked at Ichigo and I saw him look at me from the corner of his eye. He paid and then, minutes later, we received what Ichigo ordered. We took a seat at a round table that was place close to the door. I sort of panicked at first.

_'What if Orihime sees us? She'll be on me forever. Shit! Shit! Shit.'_

I told Ichigo my worries but he just brushed them off and told me to shut up, relax, and eat my ice cream. I tried to oblige but I couldn't seem to stop myself every now and then from looking towards the glass door and wall that was only a few feet away from our seat. Easy to be spotted, I glared at the door.

"Stop looking at the door, no one's going to see us." Ichigo sighed, and ate his ice cream. I turned my glare towards him. "Eat your ice cream, it's going to melt and then you'll end up having to drink it." I did as was told but didn't quit my look out. "Rukia." He said as I kept my eyes glued to the door and everyone who passed.

I took a bit of my somewhat melted ice cream, "Hm?"

"Would you look at me when I am talking to you." He said with more of a command then a question.

I sighed and looked at him.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah. Your welcome, now what do you want?" I growled out. I didn't want to take my eyes of the door for a second.

He scowled at me. "For you to stop worrying that someone is going to see us."

I scoffed. "I'm not worried, just …" I couldn't think of an excused so I stuffed my mouth with my runny ice cream and mumbled random crap.

"I'm sorry what?" Ichigo said with an annoyed voice. I shrugged. He would've pushed further but as his mouth being to talk I was scoping a pretty frozen part at the bottom of my cup and it flick out and landed right smack on the Strawberries right eye. "Was that on purpose?" he said in a low but anger filled voice.

"I have a feeling even if I say it truly wasn't you won't believe me." I said innocently with a soft laugh. He grumbled something I couldn't hear. "I'm really sorry, Ichigo, I tr.."

_Splat._

I wiped the ice cream that was now covering my left eye and was dripping down my cheek. "DAMN IT, ICHIGO!" I screamed as I stood up. "YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!" He smirked with the ice cream still on his face.

"Did not."

"DID TOO!"

I screamed and grabbed my cup of Strawberry Vanilla and poured the remains on his head. Which turned out to only be a few drops. I shook my cup a bit and a tiny blob of ice cream landed on his head. I laughed with a small victory.

Until he took his cup and splashed it on my front. "ICHIGO!"

"RUKIA!" He screamed back at me he pushed his chair back, making it fall over, as he stood.

"Um, excuse me?" Came a shy voice from the side of us.

We turned to see a short boy with medium length, black hair and dark blue eyes. "WHAT!" We both yelled at him.

He took a step backwards and closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head. "You two are sort of making a lot of noise and I was told to ask you to leave." He said shyly.

At first, we just glared at him then after a few grumbled threats and curses, we marched out.

We randomly walked around for about half an hour before Ichigo spoke up. "It's 8:32. Want me to walk you home?" He asked and glanced down at me.

"Sure, whatever." We turned and began to head towards my house.

My feet wear starting to hurt and I was drowsy. I tried not to show it but I think Ichigo began to notice when I paused between steps and started yawning half way there. My eyes started drooping and my feet were dragging, it felt like three bricks were tied to them. Then my foot caught something and I began to fall forward.

* * *

Rukia yawned on my back and I felt he begin to move. Her head lifted off my shoulder, "What?" I turned my face to look at her, her eyes were slightly opened but you could still see the confusion and drowsiness.

I turned my head forward and ask her what had been on my mind since she passed out, "What did you do today that would cause you to be so tired that you pass out while walking."

"Doctors are so evil." She slurred. "What happened?"

"Well, we were walking in silence and all of a sudden, bam, you're out." I gave a light chuckle. "I caught you, luckily, and put you on my back." A slight blushed covered my cheeks but the streets were to dark to be able to see it.

"Really?" She said and laid her head back on my shoulder, facing me. "Thanks, Strawberry."

"Eh, no problem at all, Midget."

Out of the corner of her eye I saw her shut her eyes. She must have been tired enough to not notice or care what I called her.

"So, what'd you do before you called me?" She broke the silence.

I cough and cleared my throat, "Just hung out with Renji."

"Who's that?"

"Ah, from out class, spiky red hair?" I dimly described Renji for her.

"Pineapple head?" She raised her eyebrows with her eyes still shut. I nodded and she just replied with a short 'oh'.

"What about you?" I asked her.

"Doctor, your house, talked to Orihime. Thanks for saving me by the way from your crazy girlfriend." She whispered.

I growled at her labeling Orihime as my girlfriend. "Munchkin, I'll throw you on the ground. She's not my girlfriend! How many times do I have to say it before it gets through your head." I tilted my head so that it lightly bumped hers. She let out a quiet laugh. "Well, here's your stop." I told her and let her off my back.

"Thanks, Ichigo." I smirked, and gave her a small nod. "And I'm sorry about the ice cream. It really was an accident."

"Oh, I know." I told her. I had been watching her; she had really been struggling to get that piece out of her cup. She had a true look of determination on her face, with her tongue slightly poked out between her lips, as she did. "Just thought it'd be fun to, you know, have some fun."

I could see a vein pop in her forehead. I snickered at that. "Jerk." I heard her whisper.

"See you later." I said and wave to her as I head to my own house.

"See ya, Strawberry." I heard her call after me.

I walked home in the silence of the surrounding street. Rukia on my mind as I walked. She was something different. She reminds me of this song my mother use to sing to Me, Yuzu, and Karin when we were younger. Redemption.

_Come enter into this mind of  
Plot-thickened hopes  
With stained photographs lying against cold walls  
And these broken chairs enter into reality  
Of deadly cinematic, it's casualty_

She's an unpredictable midget. But she seems to make me feel important. In just a short while, she had become my best friend.

_With winding roads of redemption  
Leads me to believe  
With true colors shown  
It appears to me  
The past is where it needs to be  
Let her play the role of strength and  
Understanding  
With closet doors locked behind the agony of denial  
Come forward;_

She's told me everything about her. She trusts me, I know that . I'd go to her for help, for anything. Her past is so hard and so painful but she seems so strong. She puts others before herself. She makes so many people happy. Byakuya. Hisana. My dad. Yuzu. Karin.

Me.

_lets drive away from here.__From it all and so I say_

_With winding roads of redemption  
Leads me to believe  
With true colors shown  
It appears to me  
The past is where it needs to be  
I wanna go with you so don't go without me_

I had finally made it home. I sighed before I slide the door open.

I heard the scream before I saw the person who had screamed it, though I already had a pretty good idea who it was.

"DAD!" I yelled at him before I punched him to the ground and pinned him, face down to the floor.

"You were later for dinner!" He scolded me.

"Yeah, I was out!"

"WITH!"

"RENJI!"

"LIES! LIES! LIES!" He screamed and pointed and accusing finger towards me. "RENJI HAD CALLED EARLIER! ASKING FOR YOU!"

"So?"

"WHO WERE YOU REALLY WITH!"

"I was with ...Rukia ...for a bit."

He instantly calmed down. He sighed, "Ahh, my third daughter." He looked up at me darkly. "What were you two doing in your free time."

The phone rang as his sentence finished. I got up and answered it. "Hello?" I answered a bit harshly.

"Not a very nice greeting." I heard Rukia's sleepy voice.

"Che, whatever. What do you want you should be asleep."

She yawned and told me I wasn't her mom so I need to shut up.

"Who's that?" My father asked and jumped on my back causing me to fall backwards, making a loud crash.

"What was that noise?" Rukia asked abruptly.

I got up and threw my father across the room when he made contact with the wall he whimpered, "So mean, my son."

"Nothing." I answered Rukia's question.

"Is that Isshin?"

"I TOLD YOU CALL ME FATHER!" He screamed.

"How could you have heard that!" I yelled at him, just before his feet made contact with my face. He caught the phone and started talking to Rukia.

"MY DEAR THIRD DAUGHTER! HOW ARE YOU?" He screamed.

I heard Rukia's laugh and mumbled reply. I kicked my dad's feet causing him to fall to the ground and lose the phone. I jumped up and caught it. "So why'd you call, Midget?"

"Don't call me Midget." She said plainly. "Anyway, I called because I was seeing if you had told your dad about the p.."

"RIGHT! So, I'll see you tomorrow."

"ICHIGO! You have to tell him." She screamed.

"I'll tell him on Friday or Saturday."

I heard her sigh, "Fine, whatever. See you tomorrow."

"Bye." I hung up.

"Tell me what?" My dad was across the room standing as if he was high and might with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Nothing." I head up to my room, trying my hardest to ignore him as he continuously questioned me on Rukia's question.

I walked into my room and slammed the door. I heard a smacking sound so my guess is my father ran into the door.

I can't wait for the picnic to be done and over. I sighed and ever so slowly I drifted into a heavy sleep.

**Saturday Morning. 9:22 AM**

My bed was rocking. I don't know how but I was getting seriously annoyed with it. It was either Dad or. . . Dad.

I seriously didn't feel like getting up, it was too damn early. I bolted up, glare on my face, ready to yell at him for waking me up and what I saw caught me off guard. Rukia and Yuzu were jumping on the edge of my bed. They weren't looking at me; they both had their eyes shut and were holding their hands over their mouths trying to contain the giggles.

"What the hell are you two doing?" I growled quietly.

It still caught them off guard, they fell off the bed and on the floor. How would they get caught off guard? They're jumping on my bed. Did they expect me to sleep through that? Seriously.

"Ow, Yuzu? You okay?" I heard Rukia groan.

"Uhaha, yeah, Rukia. I'm fine, thanks. What about you?" Yuzu asked.

"I'm good." They laughed a bit before they both stood up. I just sat there and watch them confused.

"Good morning, Ichigo!" They said in unison. I raised my eyebrow at them, and then glanced at my clock. I groaned and fell backwards.

"No way, Ichigo!" I heard Rukia's voice yell at me before I threw the pillow over my head. I felt the soft fabric from my blanket yanked off my body. I grabbed at it to try and stop it but Rukia was a tough little midget.

"Go away."

"Ichigo," That was Yuzu, I lifted my pillow from my head and looked at her she was smiling at me. "It's Saturday."

"Yeah," I yawned. "So it would seem."

Yuzu crossed her arms a pouted. "You do remember what today is, don't you?" I looked at her like she was crazy.

"Saturday. Weekend. Sleep in. Yeah, I got it." Rukia seemed a little more than upset because when I said that she put a serious kick to my stomach. It felt like it was at full force. I cough harshly. "What the hell, Rukia!"

"It's SATURDAY!" Were they all going crazy, I nodded to her with a face that said 'yeah, I kind of got that.' She growled, "PICNIC DAY!"

When those words came out my door swung open and my dad came flying in. "PICNIC!" He screamed.

"Shit." I mumbled, I was to slow to dodge his oncoming attack. He had me pinned against my bed.

"What is this I hear about a picnic?" He asked me.

"You never told him?"

"Yeah, so!" I yelled at Rukia. I struggled to get away from my father's grasp. He was strong but it wasn't hard to get out of.

"Well, Isshin, for the past two weeks Hisana, Yuzu, Karin, and I have been planning a Kuchiki/Kurosaki picnic! And today is the day!"

"WHY WAS I NEVER TOLD ABOUT THIS!" Came the whining voice of my so called father. "Wait who is this Hisana woman?"

"My sister." Rukia stated. "So you two go get ready! Hisana and Byakuya will be here in half an hour." She commanded and then she and Yuzu exited my room. I sighed, better get ready before I got in more trouble with the midget. My father was still gapping at the door they had just exited.

I kicked him on his back causing him to fly out my door. "Go get ready!" I said before I head to the bathroom.

* * *

"Hisana, must you take so long." I sighed as I waited for my wife to finish her hair and make-up. Girls seemed to be difficult I can't imagine what it will be like once out daughter is born. I smiled, _our daughter._ I was happy that my life was turning out so perfect.

After the episode Rukia happened I was happy to see that she bounced back so quickly I read that it took people sometimes years to get there life back together. I have the Kurosaki kid to thank, somewhat. I noticed the tossed mail on the counter. "My guess Rukia forgot to get it yesterday and brought it in today and ran out." I mumbled to myself, and then let out a soft sigh. I shuffled through the mail quickly. As I flipped through the mail something made me pause then flip backwards.

_Rukia Kuchiki_

Along with our address was printed neatly on the envelope. It can't be possible that it was an old friend or anything because we made sure that we were perfectly hidden far away from any friends what so ever. Rukia was absolutely fine with it when I asked her if she wanted someone to know where she was.

"_It's fine, Byakuya." Rukia had said to me, she tightened the blanket that was surrounding her. "I have no intentions of having any memories of my past." Her eyes had a glassy faraway look._

_ "Rukia, are you absolu…" _

_ "Brother…" It was the first time that Rukia had called me her brother. I looked at her; she had tears lingering in her eyes."I don't care where we go. I just want to go somewhere very far._

_ "Okay, Rukia."_

She was so hurt she couldn't have cared less about where she went and who knew. That's why when Hisana argued about wanting this house I made sure it was safe and secluded from anyone who might be hunting her. So why or more of how did she get mail. None of her friends know where she is.

I heard the light taping of sandals coming from down the hallway. "I'm ready now." I quickly folded the letter in half and tucked it in my pant pocket. I looked up to see my lovely wife in a blue sundress that fell to her knees and clearly showed her pregnant stomach. Her hair was slightly wavy with a blue flower clipped on the left side complimenting her eyes. She wore barely any makeup which made her look perfect. "How do I look?" She swayed her hips so that her dress softly twisted around her.

"Beautiful as always." I smiled at her, and she happily returned a smile back. I extended my hand, she stepped forward and intertwined our hands together. "Let's go." We walked out to the car and headed to the Kurosaki's. The letter feeling like a ton the whole way.

* * *

_Ding Dong._

"I shall get it.!" Isshin Kurosaki yelled and made a dash for the door but was stopped when his son stepped in front of him and kicked him in the face sending him flying backwards.

"No, the hell you won't!" Ichigo screamed at him.

I laughed at both of their behavior. "I got it." I told them as I head for the door. Ichigo nodded a silent thanks to me. I answered the door to see both my brother and sister. "Hisana. Byakuya." I nodded to both of them with a smile.

Isshin gasped. "Who's that! A _fourth _daughter?" He flew straight for my sister. He was stop yet again when Ichigo grabbed his feet and was threw out the window this time.

"Son.." He groaned. "Why are you so cruel to me?"

"Sorry, Hisana." Ichigo apologized. She simply nodded. I looked at Byakuya and he seemed a bit worried.

I poked his chest. "Come on, Brother, enjoy today. Stop being so stoned face." I said to him and smiled. He looked down at me and gave me a shadow of a smile. I shrugged at it. "Well, let's get going!" I shouted.

We all walked out and stepped on to the van that Hisana had rented for the day. "Can I drive?" Ichigo's father asked with too much hope.

"No." Ichigo said flatly.

Isshin instantly went into sulk mood as he got on the van. Byakuya was driving with Hisana at passenger seat. Ichigo sat behind her and I sat by him. In the back seat Karin sat window, Yuzu in the middle and Isshin, still in full sulk mode, by her.

After everyone was buckled in place, Byakuya started the van and head where Hisana pointed to. '_She was like his GPS, Byakuya would be so lost without her' _I mentally laughed at my thought. Ichigo and I started up a conversation because the silence that was surrounding the vans air was starting to suffocate us.

About half way there Hisana turned around swiftly and snapped a picture with a disposable camera. Everyone turned to her and groaned. "We're a family, and families need memories." Hisana said. Her tone sort of reminded me of this Doctor I had when I was younger and had broken my leg. She was a really nice but she seemed to have this weird force behind everything. It was actually kind of scary. I remember her because of that and because she was so beautiful, her hair was extremely long, and black. It was always done in a tight braid. She also had the most beautiful blue eyes. She was really an amazing doctor.

I looked behind me to see Isshin hugging Yuzu and Karin, Yuzu was hugging him back as he cried about family memories while Karin struggled to get out of his grasp. I heard Ichigo mumbling random words as he propped his arm on the door handle and looked at the window. I covered my mouth and giggled. That's when we heard another snap!

"HISANA!" Everyone, except Isshin, yelled. She only laughed at us.

After about another half an hour of driving, we finally arrived at our destination. "What was wrong with just going to the park down the street from our house?" Ichigo complained.

"Too noisy." Karin answered. I nodded in agreement with her. Ichigo, Byakuya and Isshin grabbed the food, drinks and everything else we need. It was actually a bit of a walk to actual spot but it's worth it. When we finally got there we had to pass through a huge hedge.

"Are you kidding me?" Ichigo asked. I swiftly kicked him in the shin which caused him to stagger a bit. "Bitch." He murmured.

"Now stop complaining and just follow." It was a bit of a hunt to find the spot that wasn't so full of branches. We had just stumbled upon it when searching for picnic spots.

"Found it." We heard Yuzu yell a little bit down the hedge's where we were all standing. She then disappeared into the green hedge. Everyone followed suit and walked through. Ichigo and I were last.

"This is like some stupid movie about futury things with walk through walls and crap." He scoffed. I looked at him.

"Please, that's ridiculous." I said before I stepped in and joined everyone. Ichigo followed immediately and when I turned to him he was gaping at the scene just like the rest of the guys.

Behind that green hedge was a medium sized lake that withheld clear water that sparkled as the sun hit it the lake was surrounded completely by grass that was a vibrant green and trees that stood with much earned power. They were extremely tall with deep brown bark and branches full of luscious green leaves. Between two trees that were closest to use was a sign that read:

_**First Annual Kuchiki/Kurosaki Family Picnic.!**_

"So this is going to be an annual thing?" Ichigo whispered to me.

I smiled, "Well, we figured that we've become so close in such a short time it was destined that our families met. I didn't think you'd mind, you being my best friend and …" I hadn't meant that to slip out. I blushed and quickly looked for a distraction. I saw Isshin starting to set up the tables so I figured I'd help. "Isshin! I'll help you."

"Aw, thank you, dear third daughter!" He smiled at me. I took a glimpse at Ichigo as I made my retreat; he was staring right at me and smirking. I growled at him. Him AND that damned smirk.

Isshin and I set up the table with smiles as we joked about future events and such. We laughed about the differences in our families but how they fit together so perfectly. As we finished up we heard splashes. Isshin and I looked to the source. We look just in time to see Yuzu and Karin jump into the lake in swim suits they had been wearing underneath their clothes. I laughed at them as they resurfaced and Hisana pulled out her camera again.

As I was watching, strong arms suddenly wrapped around me and picked me up bridal style. I looked up and was about to yell at whoever it was when I was tossed into the crystal clear water. I made contact with the water and screamed. By then I was engulfed in water and my screams where turning into bubbles. I quickly came back up, as my head broke the surface I took a huge gulp of air. I swan to a spot where I could stand without having to tiptoe to breath. I had a feeling it was a certain orange head teenager but when I turned to look I saw Ichigo was still a few yards away, clutching his stomach while he laughed. I looked to the edge of the water and saw Byakuya laughing slightly.

"BYAKUYA!" I yelled, "Why would you do that!" Crossing my arms in frustration, this wasn't something that my brother would do.

"Byakuya, that wasn't very nice." I heard my sister say, I looked at her but she looked like she was struggling to hold back her own laughter. I ran out of the water, headed straight for my sister. Her eyes widened as she saw my pursuit. "No, no, oh, no, no." She kept repeating. "Don't you dare Rukia!" She began to retreat and hastily followed. She began to scream but then Byakuya picked her up.

"Aw, man." I whined a bit childishly but then I noticed Byakuya had a daring look in his eyes. Hisana noticed it too.

"Uh, Byakuya?" After she said his name he ran straight for the water. Hisana wrapped her arms around his neck and began screaming. I laughed harder than I ever have before. I picked up the disposable camera that she had dropped when she tried to escape from my soaking hug. I snapped a shot as her and Byakuya were running through the water.

When they were in deep enough Byakuya turned around and feel backwards in to the ice waters. Yuzu and Karin were a little ways back, deeper than Byakuya and Hisana, and you could see them laughing. Isshin jumped in right after then and swam straight for his daughters who swam away, making it a weird version of chase.

I was about to walk back in when I saw Ichigo, sitting at the table Isshin and I had set up, watching everyone with a ghost of a smile as everyone enjoyed themselves. I walked over to him and draped my arm across his shoulders, still wet from being tossed in. He looked up at me with a smirk. "You're soaking wet."

I laughed and nodded. "You should get in. The water's nice."

"Yeah, I'm sure it is with the way you screamed underwater." I quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, he sort of stumbled. "Hey. HEY MIDGET!" He screamed and dug his heels into the ground. "I'm not going in there you psychopathic Midget!"

That was enough to tick me off. So with a growl I used all my force to throw him as far into the lake as I could. I heard him yell all the way until I heard the splash of his body making contact with the lakes liquid surface. I smirked and took a picture as his head popped out from the water. "Rukia Kuchiki wins the gold medal for farthest idiot toss and the crowd goes wild." I made a fake and barely audible crowd scream, and then snickered at it.

I turned around to place the camera safely on the table when a wet hand reached out to it and snatched it as arm wrapped around my waist.

"Smile." Whispered a deep voice behind me.

The camera snapped and I'm pretty sure instead of a smile I looked completely shocked. Suddenly, Ichigo threw me over his shoulder and ran back to the water.

For about an hour or more we all played in the lake, even playing a huge game of Marco Polo. Once everyone decided they were all hungry, we got out and dried of with towels that Yuzu was smart enough to pack for everyone.

"So, what'd you guys bring for lunch?" Ichigo questioned as he towel dried his hair.

"The regular picnic lunch!" I said, "We made sub sandwiches and brought chips and soda. Very good." I walked over to the basket that held the sandwiches and brought them out. They were labeled because everyone had a special custom sandwich. I passed the sandwiches to Yuzu and Karin who then handed them out to the correct person. Hisana just jumped around and took pictures of everyone.

Everyone was in a joyful silence as we ate and savored our sandwiches that had turned out amazing.

"Hey, what is Rukia drinking?" I heard Isshin yell.

I looked down at the tea I'd brought; I shrugged and told Isshin what it was.

"Why'd you get a special drink?" Ichigo mumbled at me with a smirk.

"Because I brought it!" I yelled at him. I didn't drink soda and I knew that was all we packed so I was smart enough to bring my own drink. I saw Ichigo shake his head and roll his eyes. Luckily, I was sitting right across from him, which gave my foot perfect access to his shin.

I snickered at his attempts to not curse around his sisters as he held on to his shin. As the scene went on, Ichigo began cursing me because I was, as he put it, "Demon Midget". That just earned him another kick, and then Byakuya's phone rang. He pulled it out of his jean pocket.

"Shouldn't that thing be like water damaged?" Ichigo asked him.

"Of course not." He answered, and glanced at him. "It's waterproof."

"Phones can be waterproof?" Ichigo turned to me and I shrugged, I hadn't known that. Byakuya got up and walked a few feet away to answer his phone in private. Hisana continued own with her photo riot. She popped up on our side of the table and told Ichigo and me to smile. I stuck my tongue and Ichigo didn't even turn to the camera. As soon as I heard the snap signaling that a picture has been taken, I turned back to my almost finished sandwich.

I finished and threw my plate in the trash we brought and tied onto a tree. I turned back to walk to the table when I saw a small silver object fly through the air and make a tin splash at the other end of the lake. I turned to see Byakuya's arm falling to his side. He looked completely angry. Everyone turned their full attention to him.

"Everyone get back in the van." He turned to me and I raised my eyebrows, he then turned back to everyone sitting at the table. "Now."

"Okay." We all nodded and hurriedly cleaned up and gathered back in the van.

No one talked on the way back. We first stopped at the Kurosaki's. Ichigo and his family began to get out but paused as Byakuya spoke. "Pack a week's worth of clothes and supplies whatever you would need in a week to survive. I'll be back in fifteen minutes." They all nodded.

I waved to them as we sped off. Each one of them had a look of complete confusion.

I turned back to look forward. "Byakuya? Where are we going?"

He didn't answer. I turned to Hisana but she shrugged, she had as much knowledge of where we were going as I did.

I sighed and sat back and watched the scenery pass by.

* * *

**13 Hours Later after a nonstop airplane ride.**

"Um, does anyone want to explain to me how we ended up in the United States or why we had to go to California?" I asked and glanced at everyone.

They all shook their heads and I sigh loudly with frustration. 13 hours ago we were in Japan and then Byakuya had a freak attack or something dropped us off at our house and told us to pack. Then he rushed us on a plane and now here we are. In a hotel room that had two rooms. Byakuya handed us a key card and sent us off. Why he had Rukia and I share a room, I don't know. He told me that he, my father, Hisana, and the twins stay in one room. I told him the girls could stay with us but Byakuya said that then Isshin would have to stay with us and I didn't feel like having to babysit him. So, I accepted defeat with heavy confusion.

The second I opened the door the Midget darted in and took the biggest room. I argued about that that was a cheat move. She denied but she accepted to give it over if I beat her at rock, paper, scissors. I lost.

I got a much smaller room but I didn't care it's not like I am going to be living here forever. I unpacked my stuff and then sat small assembled living room and watch random shows in languages I didn't know. Rukia came in later and sat by me she was in her pajamas. She took the remote from me and flipped through channels. I didn't argue because one, I didn't care, I couldn't find anything and two, I was too damn tired.

After about another fifteen minutes of random television I couldn't care less for I went to bed. "G'night." I told Rukia as I retreated to bed, she nodded as I left. I laid down and looked at the ceiling. I kicked the odd textured, green covers to the edge of the bed.

_'Why are we here?'_

_**'Probably to run away from something.'**_ I sighed at the voice that replied. I've gotten use to it. It's probably some weird inner conscience thing. I didn't care anymore.

_'But from what.'_

_**'Something that big boss guy is trying to hide from you.'**_

I rolled to my side and shut my eyes. I want to know what's going on but for now it'll have to wait. I shut my eyes and slowly fall into a dreamless sleep.

**The Next Morning. 7:40 A.M.**

I woke to a bang on our door. Reluctantly, I got up and answered it.

"Hey! HEY, BIG BROTHER!" Yelled the voice behind the door, I swung the door open and looked down at my younger sister. "Ichigo! Get up free breakfast until 9:30!" She already had a load of food in her arms and I snickered at her.

"Alright, I'll wake up Rukia and meet you down there."

"Okay! It's just straight down then go down the stairs and it'll be like BAM right in front of you." Karin explained as she stuffed a doughnut in her mouth, after I gave her a nodded she walked down, probably heading for more food.

"Karin, you bottomless pit." Even with the distance between us, she turned and glared at me. I shook my head and shut the door and head for Rukia's room. I walked in a saw her sprawled across the queen sized mattress. I stood at the edge of the bed and tapped her foot and she scooted it away. "Rukia? Hey." I walked over to the side and poked her shoulder, she just shrugged away and mumbled something.

She wasn't a poke and wake up kind of girl. So, I looked around the room for some sort of spray bottle. I didn't find one, but hey improvising is part of life. There was a stack of rags in the bathroom for washing. Grabbing one and soaking it with ice water, I walked back to the side of Rukia's bed. "I'm going to pay for this but once in a life time sort of thing." So, I held the rag above her face and squeezed a large amount of water that had gathered in it onto her face. The second the water touched her face, she jumped up kicked me in the head, which caused me to crash into the wall. Rukia jumped off the bed and grabbed my arm and flipped me on the bed. She pulled both arms behind my back, tightly.

"What the _hell _are you thinking, Ichigo!" She screamed at me he hair was slightly wet in front and it dripped on my back it soft pats.

"You're quite an energetic person in the morning." I mumbled in to the sheets that my face was firmly placed on.

"Oh, shut up."

"Can you get off me?"

I felt her body weight lift off of me and I sat up and she stood in front of me with her arms crossed."What were you doing?"

"Waking you up?"

"Clearly, but must you do it so rudely." She glared at me. I made a face that told her I was kind of thinking about then shook my head. "So you did it rudely because..?" She pried.

"Sounded like fun, the beating was worth it." I told her and began to head out. I stopped at the door, "Hurry and get ready everyone's waiting for us at the breakfast thing downstairs."

"Breakfast thing?" She had confusion written in her eyes.

"Yeah, free breakfast. Hurry up." I told as I walked out, I heard her sigh heavily and the sound of her ruffling through her clothes. I quickly jumped in the shower and got dressed.

I was ready in less than five minutes and was shocked when Rukia was, too. "Um, you're a girl. Aren't you supposed to take forever?" I asked her.

She just laughed at me as we head down to breakfast, "I'm not like most slutty girls who put on loads of make up to get a guy's attention, nor do I look at pair of clothes for a half an hour deciding which would get most guys attention. Please, Ichigo, I just wear what looks comfortable and what goes with my mood and as you see." She looked up at me, "My face is natural."

I blinked at her for a second and then nodded, "Well, that's …good." I finally mumbled out.

We got to the breakfast room and looked around it was a small room with an island right in the middle. On it was a waffle maker, a wide arrangement of fruits, juices, coffee, donuts, and basically anything you could think of for breakfast. I choose a few pieces of toast and some juice, found my family and sat with them. Rukia joined minutes later with perfectly made waffles, an orange, and coffee. She kind of looked smug as she sat down. We all sat in silence, which was getting annoying.

I finally decided to break it after I finished my toast. "So what are the plans for today?" Everyone's head perked up as I asked that. Byakuya dug in his pockets and pulled out seven tickets that were safely tucked in lanyards he passed one to everyone. Everyone got a different color. Rukia's vibrant orange, Yuzu's dark pink, Karin pitch black, Hisana's a soft gray, My dad's a crimson red, Byakuya's a dark blue and mine was deep shade of purple. "Come on! Purple seriously! Rukia trade me."

"No."

"Well, why not?"

She reached over and tapped onto my lanyard. "Your names on it."

I glared at the little detail I hadn't seen. "Fine." I turned back to Byakuya, "So _what are_ we doing today."

"There's a park twenty minutes from here." I looked at him, "Disneyland and California Adventures?"

"Oh, I've always wanted to go there!" Yuzu squealed, "I've heard its so much fun."

"THIS SOUNDS LIKE MY SORT OF PLACE!" My father yelled along with Yuzu. "Let's go now!"

"First we'll finished breakfast."

Isshin stuffed his food hurriedly and then he did something especially stupid. He grabbed everyone else food and force feed them including Byakuya. Then, he tied is together with rope and ran as fast as his feet would let him. We we're just swing behind him with immense fear of flying off to the side and getting hit by a car. The ride was terrible I felt as if I was going throw up, I shut my eyes and hoped to god we didn't die.

In less than 4 minutes we were standing in front of the park. My father finally let us all go and Byakuya's eyes were burning with fury. You could see the fire behind them. Byakuya walked ahead and grumbled about idiocy probably being passed down and hiding Rukia for a while from my dad. I shook my head and walked behind him. He stopped in the middle of the walking area that separated Disneyland and California Adventures. We crowded around him and watched to see what he was going to do or say. "Rukia."

"Huh," She suddenly looked up at her brother. "Yes, Brother?" Byakuya held out his hand and threw a coin in the air.

"Call heads or tails."

Rukia looked shocked. "Er, heads?" As she said he answer the clinking of the coin hitting the ground sounded and we all looked down. Heads it was.

"California is where we head first." We all nodded. I looked to my left seeing the giant lets spelling out California and sighed. This'll be fun, hopefully.

* * *

"Oh! I want to take a picture by the giant R!" I screamed I've never been so excited. When I was younger my mother and father sheltered me. So, I never got to go to places like this and I was left out a lot of the time when school field trips were held. "Ichigo! Take a picture with me by the R and then we'll go to the giant I!"

I snickered; it was cool that the letters of our first names were in the word California. "Yeah, Ichigo go with Rukia and I'll take a picture of you both." My sister said as she smiled and held up the camera. Instead of using another disposable Byakuya bought he a personal digital one. It was a soft baby blue color with her name in cursive on the front.

"Whatever, fine. Let's hurry up and take them." His shoulders were slumped and I was not about to let him be a downer on this trip. I ran up behind him and jumped on his back, I locked my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck and he staggered forward.

"Let's go!" I yelled in his ear and pointed onward.

"Che, get off me." He said to me.

I thought about, put my finger to my chin and looked to the sky. "Yeah, I don't think so." I said, "Get moving. Faster."

He speed his progress to the R and when we reached it he took a swift turn and I almost fell off. We were now faced towards Hisana. "You jerk!" I yelled as I repositioned myself safely on his back "I could've fallen."

"But you didn't so shut up."

I growled at him and bit his ear. He screamed a bit and Hisana snapped the camera. I laughed and he looked away and Hisana snapped another picture.

And just to make him blush, I kissed his cheek. Which Hisana squealed and snapped another photo. "Onwards to the I!" I yelled, he shuffled over to it and Hisana continued with more pictures. He smirked in those and I didn't do anything to sabotage his appearance in those pictures.

Hisana continued to get pictures of everyone such as Yuzu and Karin in the O, and one of Isshin climbing the F and she even got Byakuya to smile and take a picture with her by the L. She said it was cute because it was the first letter of there soon to be daughter's name. After pictures were done we head in side.

We grabbed maps of the park and made our routes.

"Ichigo! Ichigo!" He turned his head towards me. "Let's go on that!" He looked over to what I was pointing at. It was a roller coaster that accelerated from zero to 59 miles per hour and as the picture illustrated it was full of sudden turns, drops, and a loop. I hungered for an extreme adrenaline rush and this looked like it. "Let's go!" I grabbed his hand and dashed off but stop a few yards after running. I was going to ask Hisana if it was okay to go.

I opened my mouth to shout but her shout beat me, "Just go ahead we'll meet up later." I nodded gratefully at her and began my run again, dragging Ichigo with me.

When we reached it I was happy to see that there wasn't much of a line. We walked through the maze of a line and then we waited. It took about a minute or so before a man was placing us in a line, he asked how many in my group and I answered by hold up two fingers. He motioned for us to get the last seats and we walked to the bars that were for the spot we were place.

"Wouldn't the front be better? These seem like suckish seats." I sort of complained.

Ichigo who was standing behind me with his hands on the bars that was on either side of use. He leaned forward, "Not necessarily, Rukia. You see the front," He nodded his head towards the front and I glanced forward before looking back at Ichigo, who stood up his full height and crossed his arms as he looked over the tracks "It's the first to be release and therefore is slower. When you get the back seats you release last so you get the full fall and is therefore more fun."

I gaped at him. "Well, oh might king of roller coasters, that means we got good seats?" I asked him.

He leaned in and whispered, "The best." He nodded.

I smiled this was going to be great. As the previous train that left pulled in and the passengers got off the gate in front of me slid open and I walked forward. We sat in and pulled the safety guard that pressed tightly against our chest. I wiggled a bit in excitement and Ichigo smirked at me. Then in the man on at the front came on an intercom and he said a few things a wished us a fun ride. Everyone on yelled and screamed out of excitement in which I joined in. We slowly made our way around a corner and we stopped I was bit confused and I looked around and saw people looking at us. That when a man began a countdown.

"What the.."

"2…1...BLAST OFF!" And with that the roller coaster shot forward at top speed. I scream as we went up a tall hill and descended down. My hair flew back and adrenaline was pumping through my blood. This was the first roller coaster I had ever been on and it scared the hell out of me which made it that much more fun.

When the loop came I became a bit fearful at first about falling out but when we flipped through it I was even more excited. I saw small flash of light as the ride began to slow and we came back to the port and we got off.

As we walked off I was jumping and telling Ichigo how much fun it was. He snickered at my actions and I laughed because I was acting a bit silly.

"Rukia? Is this the first roller coaster you've ever been on?"

"Mhm," I nodded. "Mom and Dad tended to shelter me a bit." He nodded at my answer and I smiled we saw a small crowd around a little hut type thing, Ichigo and I looked at each other and walked forward to see what everyone was looking at. The group was looking at a wall and people were giggling and holding their phones up to the wall and snapping pictures.

When Ichigo and I had managed to get to the front we looked around and saw pictures of people on the ride. I quickly spotted mine and Ichigo's and began to laugh.

Ichigo was smiling but his eyes were shut and both of his arms were held straight up, his hair was pushed back due to the wind that was pressing it back, I was hold the safety guard with both hands and my face was similar to Ichigo's; a smile with my eyes shut, except my head was tilted a bit towards him.

"Ichigo! Let's buy it!" I ran around the tiny shop and spotted were we could purchase it.

I quickly did and ran back to Ichigo to show him the picture and frame I got. He laughed and said it was just a waste of money. "I want as memories of this place I can get." He looked down at me and smirked. I smiled in response.

As we retreated from the coaster we passed a ride that was 180 feet. It shot you up and dropped you within seconds of reaching the top. I eyed it, and Ichigo noticed. He grabbed my hand and we went forward and got in line we waited for the people that were currently shooting up to be finished.

"What's that glass thing around it?" I mumbled to myself.

"It's sort of like scream blocker thing." A girl answered. I turned and saw a girl with brown hair that was tired up in a red ribbon; she was standing just behind me. I was hesitant about talking to a random girl, at first.

_'Rukia, you need to get over your fear and learn to socialize.'_ I thought to myself and nodded.

"What for?" I asked the girl.

She smiled, "Oh, because there's a hotel back there," She said as she pointed behind her and continued, "And people kept complaining about hearing the people on this ride screaming. So, they put the glass thing on so it would dull the screams."

"It looks more like a vomit blocker."

The brown hair girl laugh at my comment, "That's what a lot of people seem to imply." I laughed.

We were than let on as the group before us exited. The drop was shade as a square and had four seats to each side. Ichigo sat at the edge of ours and me and the girl from the line sat by me and a woman that looked to be her sister. We pulled down the safety belt along with the window and waited. We lift just the slightest and I counted in my head.

_'1…2….3….4…..' _I was about to say five but only got out the 'fi' part as we were launched up and the number was lost in a scream. When we fell back down butterflies swarmed my stomach and I felt as if I should be laughing. We bounced a few more time and then we descended back to the ground. I jumped off and was still in a tiny fit of laughter. Ichigo grabbed my hand and directed out way off.

"Your boyfriends real cute." That shut me up as I looked and saw the same girl that was seated next to me and was in line with me earlier waved and ran off with her sister. I blushed and took my and from Ichigo.

"Hey, Rukia?" I looked up at said man, "Wanna go on that?" He pointed to the Ferris wheel. It wasn't a normal one either because were some of the seats did stay where they were supposed to, the others did not. Selected ones were sliding back and forth and rolled freely as the wheel made its circle. I nodded and he began to walk ahead of me, I quickly gained my composer and ran up next to him.

At the front entrance a man asked, "Rocking or Non Rocking?"

"Rocking." Ichigo said to the man. He nicely gestured for us to walk to the right and we made our way to the front. When we got there another worker opened the door to a Ferris wheel seat and helped us in. I sat down on one side, Ichigo the other. They locked us in and the circle began. As we slowly rose to the top I was amazed at the view.

I gasped, "Look at that! It's beautiful!" I squealed. The gondola we were seated in slide backwards and I laughed at the small assembly of butterflies that flew through my stomach. "Ichigo, I can see our family!" I laughed and point at a small group of people taking a picture at a small bridge. Ichigo looked and nodded. I stood up and screamed. "HISANA! BYAKUYA! ISSHIN! KARIN! YU.." I was about to yell for the second twin when the gondola slide forward and I fell along with it.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled. I fell straight for him he raised his arms and as his hands land on my shoulders his lips landed on mine as well.

My eyes widen at the contact and he stared at me. Both of our cheeks flushed. I jumped back and felt an odd sensation at the loss of contact.

I diverted my eyes to anywhere but at the orange headed teen sitting in front of me. He coughed and I looked back outside and notice Hisana waving at me and pointing to her camera.

_'Damn it! She got a picture.'_ I glared, not knowing if she could full see it; probably not.

Ichigo cleared his throat and I could feel his gaze on me. "Uh, err, you okay? Did you, um, twist your ankle or..Uh, anything." He asked he was as uncomfortable as I was.

"No, I'm fine." I replied quickly keeping my eyes on the water.

We got off hurriedly and were met with the family waiting for us at the entrance.

"ICHIGO, MY BOY, I SAW YOU AND TH.." Before Isshin finished that sentence Ichigo kicked him so hard he land in the water that was a long ways away.

"Nothing happened so everyone shut up." Everyone glanced between us. Yuzu and Karin tried hard to hide their snickers, I could see that, but they kept slipping up.

"Um, anyway," Hisana began, "We were looking for before, uh, we saw you on the Ferris wheel. We want to go on the Tower of Terror!" She laughed, "Sounds fun."

"Yeah, sure." We mumbled at the same time, we glanced at each other and began walking opposite ways. Hisana looked at both of us and yelled after Ichigo, "Ichigo! You're going the wrong way." I laughed quietly glad that I picked the right direction.

Once we got to the line it was about a ten minute wait. When we did get to the front we had to wait even longer in front of automatic doors. Once the doors opened and we walked in we had to wait in a room for a minute or so and then watch a short video and after that we walked through _another_ damn door and wait in _another _damn line. I growled, "How long do we have to wait!" I crossed my arms and waited as the line gradually moved forward. Once we got to the front of the line we were placed in lines of either four or three. Yuzu, Karin, Ichigo, and I were placed in row 6. Hisana, Byakuya, and Isshin at row one. When we were a loud to file in we end up with front seats along with the others.

When the doors begin to shut, I became a little more worried. I hadn't the slightest idea what this ride even did. Did it roll around the hotel and show scary stuff? I didn't know. We slowly rose were a man talked about saying good bye to our past selves and what not. The next thing I know, were dropped. Then suddenly brought back up and dropped again. Then we are higher to where they open doors and all of California and a bit of Disneyland is visible. I scream close my eyes and turn my head onto Ichigo's shoulder. I feel his arm wrap around me. Really this one shouldn't be any different of or scarier than the last few ones we were on. Maybe it was the fact that I might have a slight case of Myctophobia but the ride was just _scarier._ I was glad when the last few drops finished and we were let off.

We walked out and down to a room that held pictures from the ride just like the roller coaster one had. I scanned the pictures and easily found ours with Ichigo's head being so vibrant and bright. I stared at it for a while; Yuzu and Karin were staring straight ahead at the light that the opened doors had provided, I was smiling, teeth showing, but my eyes were shut and my head was resting on Ichigo's shoulder. His arm was tightly wrapped around me and his other arm was in the air. His eyes were down cast at me. Hisana, who had actually kept her eyes opened and was looking out the doors, was clinging on to Byakuya who had shadowed smile and was looking at Isshin who had both arms in the air. I remember hearing him scream louder than anyone else. I turned to tell Ichigo but he was at the stand. I walked over to him and asked him what he was doing; he turned and began walking I followed.

He pulled out a pin and handed it to me it was a little door sign that said 'HTH', then he handed me a giant keychain that said 'HTH' and had a number on it. I smiled at them, they were pretty dang cool. He then handed me the picture I had just recently looked at on the wall. I looked at him and shock. He had called these pictures a waste of money.

"You said you wanted as many memories as you could get." He grinned. Finally, that awkward kiss was behind us. I won't lie and say not a single feeling passed though me when our lips touched but I wasn't going to tell Ichigo, it might give him too much confidence.

"Thank you, Ichigo."

He nodded and we head out with everyone else. We then switched over to Disneyland we walked through the gates and glanced around we had to go under a short arch before we really saw anything. Stores and people galore is what we saw.

But as we got further in we saw there were different rides and places. Fantasyland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, and many more. For a while we just walked around and meet characters from different cartoon movies and shows. Me and Hisana got pictures with Minnie mouse, along with Yuzu and Karin of course.

Goofy, Mickey, Alice, tons and tons of characters. We went on a submarine ride that went underwater and revolved around _Finding Nemo_. We went on three small roller coasters. My favorite was a coaster that was in complete darkness and looked like you were floating through the sky. After spending most our time in California Adventures we had been pretty much spent. So, after a little bit of Disneyland I had felt like I was about to crash. Ichigo noticed my tiredness and carried me on his back. Byakuya told us that we should head back to the hotel and so we did. He told us we would come back and do what we couldn't fit in today, tomorrow. I fell asleep half way back to the hotel.

That's how the next four days went. We would wake up have a quick breakfast, we all didn't want a repeat of day one, then head to Disneyland or California Adventures. Doing what we didn't do previous days or redoing favorites. It was a blast on the sixth day we decide to rest. To be honest my feet were really killing me and I would enjoy a rest.

Ichigo and I decide to just watch TV and do nothing at all. Until a call came to our room..

"Hello?" I had answered after a few rings.

"Hi, Ru-chan!" Hisana said after I answered.

"Hey, Hisana."

"Okay, so, listen. Byakuya has decided a while long. Is that okay with you guys?" She asked.

I covered the mouth piece and called over to Ichigo. "Huh?" He responded.

"Byakuya said he wanted to stay longer. S'that okay?" I asked him.

He was silent for the shortest moment, "Yeah, sounds cool to me."

I removed my hand and began to talk to Hisana yet again, "Yeah, its okay with us."

"Alright! Talk to you later, Little Sister!" She sang happily.

"Okay, bye, Big Sister." We hung up and I walked back to the couch and sat next to Ichigo. After a bit thinking I suddenly realized something. I jumped up and moaned. "Crap!"

"What?" Ichigo asked eyes still glued to the television screen.

"Clean clothes. What are we going to do about clean clothes?"

"Uh, on the map thing I think I saw an open laundry room?" He answered unconcerned.

I smiled, "Really?" He nodded, "Cool! Want me to wash your clothes? I'll head down right now."

Ichigo finally looked at me and examined me, "Honestly, no I don't want you touching my clothes but seeing as I'm too lazy to do it myself." He sighed in sort of a defeated way."Yes, please do." He said and turned back to the television. I smiled. I looked around the room and in the closet that was embedded in the wall there were laundry bags, in which I stuffed with our dirty clothes. Mine was in one and Ichigo's the other.

"I'm going to see if Hisana and the others want their clothes washed." Ichigo nodded and I shook my head. He was to into the stupid game show he was watching.

I made my way to the others room and knocked. Hisana quickly answered, "Hey, what're you doing down here?"

"Uh, I found out there was a washing room and I was going to ask if you wanted me to wash yours. Where is everyone?" I noticed her room was empty and quiet.

"Isshin dragged everyone down to an arcade he found a little ways down. Said I didn't have to go because I was pregnant and was doing too much walking." She rolled her eyes and I knew why. She hated feeling like she was week. I laughed at it though. "Yeah, I guess we could wash everyone's clothes. I'll help. I smiled and nodded.

After gathering everyone's clothes in more laundry bags we walked down to the laundry room and began. I did darks and Hisana lights.

As we were sorting clothes, Hisana would through me and thing in her pile that was dark and vice versa, there was a pair of Byakuya's jeans that I was checking the pockets of and found a envelope. I looked at the pants a shortly remember that they were the jeans he had worn to the picnic. He hadn't changed out before we made way for the airport. My back was turned to Hisana already so I quickly checked over my shoulder. She was stuffing as many whites as she possibly could in the one washer; I smiled at her silly actions. I pulled the envelope it was folded in half and still a bit wet.

I unfolded it to see my smeared name on it. "Rukia?" I jumped at my name and laid the letter down on the pile. I turned and she had me some shirts and jeans.

"Thanks." I grabbed them and put them near the pile. I grabbed the letter and stuffed it in my pocket and finished sorting and began using the other washer in the room.

After everything was washed we went to Hisana's room to sort the clothes and fold them. We joked about how Byakuya would look in Isshin or Ichigo's clothes as well as the other way around. We faked their voices and criticized the clothing. It was so much fun spending time with my sister but even the funniest of times couldn't take away the feeling of the envelope in my pocket that felt like a brick. When we finished Hisana said she was tired and was going to take a short nap. I gathered mine and Ichigo's clothes and brought them back to our room.

"Hello, Midget." He welcomed me; he was still on the couch but with food now. He had a stream of noodles hanging out of his mouth as he watched the TV screen.

"Hello, Fatass." I greeted back. He sent a short glare in my direction before going back to his show. "Here are your clothes, clean and folded."

"Aw, thank you." He laughed.

"Whatever, enjoy." And I made my retreat to my room. I sat on my bed with the letter placed gently in front of me. I stared and stared at it, as if wishing it would just disappear. It never did. I was worried about the content and the hide message inside it. From whom it was and if I even wanted to know whom it was from.

"Rukia!" I heard Ichigo knock on my door, "I'm going to bed." He told me.

I waited for his feet to start to walk away but when they didn't I made a short reply, "Okay, goodnight."

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just tired!" I told the man behind my door.

"Okay, goodnight."

"Night." I whispered softly. I was scared that I would end up crying myself to sleep and to be alone. "Ichigo, wait." I heard his swift turn and then he entered my room.

"Yeah?"

"Can you stay in here?" I asked in it was strange but I need him, I couldn't be alone.

"Why?" He asked. I sighed heavily and told him about the letter. How I found it and how I was just scared to be alone. "Okay." He answered and flopped down on my bed, his legs crossed and fingers intertwined behind his head. I looked at him and then returned my gaze back to the letter.

"Rukia, unless you have some freaky brain power your eyes aren't going to open it." He sat up and reached for the envelope. I smacked his hand away.

"I got it." I picked it up and flipped it over. I ripped the top of the envelope off and slide the simple lined piece of papers out. With shaky hands I folded the letter open. The words were smear around the entire paper but it wasn't completely unreadable. I felt Ichigo's comforting hand rub my back. And I began to read it to myself.

_Dear Miss Rukia __**Kuchiki,

* * *

**_

Phew, anyway. So, if I did a bad job at the Disneyland/C.A. part, I'm sorry.

Also, the reason why California Adventures part was more descirbe was because I spent most of my time there than Disneyland :3 and it had more of a scene set. Atleast~ that's what I thought.! Rofl, :'D

If anyone can guess the following three things, I'll ...think of something special.? I don't know make you a character in the story.? Have you come up with a part of the story. IDUNNO.! I'll let the(if there is a) winner choose :] hehe,

1.) Who was the boy who politely kicked Ichigo and Rukia out of the Ice Cream Parlor.?

2.) Who was the girl at the Drop ride.?

3.) What is title of this chapter from.?

Get at least.. AT LEAST.. two of the three correct.! I'll send a PM to the (if there is) winner.!

And to everyone who reads this, **and I mean EVERYONE.!** I want to hear your guesses at who you think wrote the letter and who called Byakuya at the picnic.! I refuse to post the next chapter until I have at least five or six reviews with guess.! Hehe~ that's mean:] but I really want to know your guesses.! Don't think it's the first person that comes to your head.. **REALLY** think about it, okay.?

**PREVIEW FOR NEXT CHAPTER:**

**_Rukia reads the letter and figures out who it's from and her life slowly becomes a living hell. And the mystery caller might be revealed._**

_Xoxo,_

_Personal Riot.  
_


	8. To Cut My Tears and Kill These Fears

I'M SO SORRY.! I KNOW I'M A FAILURE -Cries. I just suck without inspiration, -dies. x.x Sorry for this shortness and what not.! D: If people are still read this sad excuse of a story, THANK YOU SO MUCH.! Please review and tell me your still reading this.! So here you go chapter seven, finally.!

* * *

Miles away from the hotel that the Kuchiki's and Kurosaki's were a small house far from any others, and in there sat a man examining pictures.

He was sitting in a reclined chair with one elbow rest on top of the mahogany desk and his hand in a fist and against his mouth. He gazed at the picture that was in his other hand. The picture was of a petite girl with shoulder length hair. She was sitting on a Ferris wheel and smiling at a boy who was sitting across from her and looking down. He placed that photograph down and picked up the next. It was the same spot but they were now both kissing.

The man's hand clenched a bit at the picture causing it to wrinkle a bit in the corner. "No one noticed you when you were out there?" He asked a man who was hiding in the shadows of his room.

"Yes, sir."

The man nodded and sat up straight in his chair and laid his hands in front of him. He kept a straight face as he glanced up towards the other man. "Who is this boy with her?" He questioned and glared down at the photo.

He stood up and pinned the photo on his wall that contained millions of other pictures of the same raven haired girl.

"He seems to be a friend of hers."

"Hm." He grabbed a small pocket knife that resided on his desk. He tossed it up and caught it and repeated the action a few more times. "Just a friend?"

"From what Ms. Shihoin said when she taught at Miss Kuchiki's school, they could've become something… more." Said the shadowed man.

"Hm, well, if so well have to fix that." Stated the man that withheld the knife, he tossed the knife over his shoulder and landing right on the face of Ichigo Kurosaki.

* * *

I couldn't fathom what was happening.

I could see more fear in Rukia's eyes than I've ever seen in my life. She looked absolutely frightened. Tears fell from her eyes one after another. I patted her back as she cried into my chest. She began crying half way through the letter and they didn't stop.

I wish I could say it was only a minutes before she finally looked like she had cried herself to sleep but it'd be more reasonable to say hours. I pried her fingers that were clenched onto my shirt, off and laid the sheet of the bed on top of her. I headed for the door when I heard Rukia gasp; I pivoted around to see her sitting up straight. "Ichigo, where are you going?" She asked with the sheet tightly in her hands and rested against her chest.

I looked at her and I felt my eyes soften, "Uh, my bed?"

She frowned and I saw tears start to reform in her eyes, "Don't go." I heard her murmur. She looked down so that a shadow casted across her eyes. "Pl.. … ay…ith…e?" She whispered so low I couldn't hear parts of the words.

"Uh, Rukia? Can you repeat that?" I asked her, "and a little louder."

She cleared her throat and looked up at me. Her cheeks lightly tinted with a soft pink, "Will you stay in here with me?" I took a step back. "Please, Ichigo, I don't want to be alone."

"Uh, alright, hold on a second." I left the room and went to mine. I gathered the blanket and pillows and returned. I made a makeshift bed on the floor. She looked at me in confusion; I smirked at her in return. I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her, "I'll sleep on the floor in here so you won't be alone. 'Kay?"

She nodded and then turned her gaze to the blanket on her lap. "Are you curious?"

I looked at her, "Hm?"

"My letter. Are you curious of what it contained?" She told me.

I nodded, "Yeah, but it's none of my business." I got off the bed and sat on the floor. "Get to bed."

"Okay." She said as she laid down and brought the blanket up to her chin. "G'night, Ichigo."

"Night, Midget."

* * *

Hours after Ichigo fell asleep I was still awake. I just couldn't seem to get that stupid letter out of my head. Every perfectly curled letter ran in my head over and over again.

_Dear Miss Rukia Kuchiki,_

The letter had started out.

_ I am well aware of how I am the last person you could ever want to hear from but believe me when I say I wrote this for a very important purpose. No one should know the contents of this letter but you. Understood? This is important so make sure you read everything very carefully. Your father is looking for you. Worse, he has actually located you. He has men watching you every second of the day. He is going to try to get you back 'home'. He wants something that only you can get and he will greedily use your existence to get it. I don't know the all details but, Rukia, be careful. Try to lie low for a while. Do not make any sudden moves, he'll think you're on to him and that will only result in him moving in faster. You might be extremely confused right now and I am sorry that I cannot fully explain this situation to you. I am writing this in a hurry. I'll be able to tell you soon in the near future. I shall keep in touch. Also, if you start to become endangered inform you elder brother and sister but if you wish to protect your boyfriend I suggest you keep him in the dark. Your father is fully aware of him and he is furious. I must be ending this letter I am sorry if this is frightening but you need to know, so you can protect yourself. I'll keep an eye on you and try to convince your father to wait longer. Everything will be explained later. For now, Goodbye, Miss Kuchiki._

_-Yoruichi Shihoin._

Not only was I extremely confused on why _she_ sent me a letter and why it had that kind of information. More importantly how she knew.

Whatever the reason I was confused, upset, and frightened. So frightened.

I sat up and looked around and my eyes landed on Ichigo, lying comfortable on the ground. He looked so peaceful. He didn't know. I wanted him to but the letter said to keep Ichigo from knowing.

_'Damn it.' _Figuring I couldn't do anything at the moment I forced myself to lie down and within forty minutes I finally fell asleep.

When I woke up the next morning I stared at the plain ceiling for a full eight minutes before actually sitting up. "Ichigo?" I crawled to the side of my bed and peeked over the edge to see the orange headed teenage was not there. I slowly slide of the bed and walked around the hotel room to be found with absolute silence. I walked to the medium length, green couch and sat down, pulling my knees to my chest. It felt eerie alone. It felt frightening to be alone in hotel room. I didn't like it. I put my forehead on top of my knees and breathed deeply to calm myself down. I felt extremely stupid for depending on him like this. I did sort of feel like I had a bit of a right too. With what could possible happen I cannot just be depending on me. I needed others. I knew I did, I need their help to stay together, not for them to actually _know, _just so I wouldn't feel alone.

_Buzz buzz._

I looked up and saw Ichigo's phone on the coffee table that was standing in front of me. I picked it up and looked at the screen.

_B. Kuchiki._

Well, it's my brother I can read it. I tapped my finger on the open message button and the text was displayed on the screen.

_We will be leaving tonight. Make sure Rukia is all packed up and ready to go by then._

Reading the text made wonder even more about where Ichigo was. I placed his phone down and head for the bathroom when I heard the ring of my phone go off signaling I had a text. I walked backwards out of the bathroom and then straight to where my phone laid on the night stand beside the untidy bed. I lifted it to see _Brother_ flash across the screen. I opened the text and read over it.

_'Rukia, yesterday when you and your sister were doing laundry did you happen to find anything in any of my pockets?'_

Hm, that was a good question. I could tell him I did find the letter and I read it or I could lie and say I didn't find a thing. "I think I'll go with the latter." I voiced aloud.

_'Sorry, Brother, I did not find a thing.'_ I read over it to check for a spelling error and once satisfied I pressed send.

Moments later a reply arrived.

_'Okay, thank you. I shall see you later.'_

I closed my phone and proceed to what I was going to do earlier. A nice shower would be very relaxing.

* * *

After waking up with morning and seeing Rukia sleeping so peaceful after the train wreck she had looked like last night pulled something inside me. I decide to take a run and a long one at that. It was horrible to see her like that and not be able to help. I wanted to comfort her; I hated seeing her like that.

As I reached the hotel my pace began to slow as did my breathing. I finally reached the hotel room and pulled out my key and slide it in, took a deep breath, and walked in.

The first thing I heard was the shower and so I positioned myself on the couch to wait so I could talk to Rukia. I wasn't going to risk walking over there as she came out of the bathroom in just a towel. No way. I kicked my shoes off and propped them up on the small coffee table. My phone lay there, looking oh so lonely. My fingers circle around it and flip it open to look through considering the remote was across the room and I was too tired to get it. I scroll through contacts and then my old messages. That's when I saw a read message that I know I did not read. I click open and read the message that was from the ever popular Kuchiki brother.

I mumbled the text out loud, "We will be leaving tonight. Make sure Rukia is all packed up and ready to go by then. Hm, isn't that interesting." I closed my phone and laid my head on the back of the couch. "My guess is Rukia opened it, just because she likes to snoop." I closed my eyes because I ran pretty dang early and I am completely tired.

The next moment I opened my eyes to a blink Rukia whose wet hair, still dripping wet, is sprinkling my face with droplets. Turning my face away from her and wiping the water off my face I began to ask her, "We need to.."

"Pack because we're leaving? Yes, I know." She smiled down at me. How she could smile after whatever happened last night was beyond me. She stood straight and waved her hand behind her. I looked around her and saw my bulging suit case aside hers.

"You.."

"Packed us up, mhm." She nodded.

"I was going to say went through my phone but thank you for packing, too." I said with a soft glare.

"Oh, about the reading thing I only read that one message."

I sighed a breath of relief. Because after Rukia had fallen asleep, and believe me it took a long time and a lot of fake sleeping before she did, I had begun to text my oldest but best childhood friend and our entire was revolving around Rukia. I don't want her reading that stuff.

Don't think I was being perverted or anything, Tatsuki was the one to bring her up. Just then a knock came to the door.

"Rukia? Brother? Just letting you know were leaving in a half an hour!" And without a response we heard Yuzu run.

I turned to Rukia and saw her eyes with so much pain written in them I thought she was about to cry again and her nose was pinched with her pointer finger and thumb. "What?"

"You stink!" Her voice sounding slightly stuffed due to the plugged nose passages. I smell myself and shrug. She glares at me, "Ichigo Kurosaki, go take a shower right now before I through you out the door so hard you'll end up in the ocean."

"That was the worst threat you could've ever said to me."

"Don't care. Please, just go."

I got up and began to walk to the shower but not before stretching my arms and laughed at how the look of disgust was clearly on her face. I thought she might faint from the odor but she stayed strong and alive.

My shower was relaxing after my run but it was shortly lived after Rukia banged on the door saying I need to hurry. I walked out with a towel firmly wrapped around my waist. She was about to yell at me again. I could tell, but when she took in my appearance she blushed and ran to her room. I chuckled at her sudden exit. A few minutes later, after properly clothing myself, I told her she was safe to come out.

She entered with her hands firmly over her eyes and peeked just in case I was lying. She sighed when I was telling the truth. "We better go it's been 27 minutes since Yuzu dropped by."

"Well, I'm all packed so let's go."

* * *

"You know what seizes to amaze me?" Ichigo asked me.

"What is that, Ichigo.?"

"The fact that Byakuya seems to be able get us anywhere within seconds." He told me. I looked up at his house, that was now standing tall and in front of us, and then around the area. I hadn't really noticed that until about just now I thought we were still at the airport. "I mean, one second were at the airport in California, America and in the blink of an eye, we're back at my house in Japan.

"Hmm." I said as we began walking to the house, the front door stood ajar because Isshin had rushed into his beloved house and ran around saying how much he missed home. I was playing on my phone when Isshin screamed.

We all ran to where the noise came from and rounded a corner to see him hugging a plush, pink teddy bear. "YUZU! DO REMEMBER THIS TEDDY BEAR! YOU WOULD DRAG IT ALONG EVERYWHERE YOU WENT."

"Damn it!" Ichigo's voice rang clear through the house.

"My, my, Ichigo, No need to yell, it's much too early." My voice was low so only he could really hear me. "I'm going to go home and unpack. Bye."

Ichigo grumbled something incoherent and walked me to the door. "Bye, Rukia."

"See you, Ichigo." I turned and left, hearing happy goodbye's and see you later from Yuzu.

When I got home I just laid in my bed for hours, too tired to really move or do anything. The only thing that was in my mind was the vacation. And that letter.

That damned letter.

Nothing would get my mind off of it. I tried reading, listening to loud music, and clearing my mind. Nothing for long countless hours just staring at the ceiling above me. When I glanced at the clock it read 4:26. I sighed deeply. I've been lying around for seven hours. This can be considered being extremely lazy. I grabbed my phone that had been silently laying on the lamppost by my bed.

_7 Missed Calls. _

Was I truly that out of it?

_Ichigo._

_ Ichigo._

_ Ichigo._

_ Yuzu._

_ Ichigo._

_ Yuzu._

_ Karin._

I scrolled through the lists on names and laughing at how many times Ichigo had called. Well, for all three of them to had called me, it had to have been something important. My finger hovered over the green button that would connect me to Ichigo for only a minute before I actually pressed down.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

Four ri..

"RUKIA?"

"Hey, Ichigo, can you not break my ear drums?" I chuckled.

I heard noise coming from the man on the other end, and then a small laugh "Yeah, sure. You want to come over for dinner?"

Sighing I replied to him, "Ichigo I just spent like weeks with you? Are you so attached to me that you can't not leave me for a day."

"Oh, Rukia, you know me so well." He said in a fake swooned voice, "No, Midget, this is a sort of important dinner and I want you to be there."  
That caught me off guard. "Im.. portant? Dinner? You want me there?"

"Yes, be at my house around ..oh, say, 6:30? Okay?"

"Wait, I never sa-"

I was met with a dial tone.

_'That idiot hung up on me!'_ I thought angrily. I finally got up out of bed and threw my phone on my bed and head down the hall, to the kitchen, were I knew Hisana was.

I turned the corner and saw my sister, sitting at the table reading a baby magazine with a glass of strawberry lemonade. She looked peaceful and happy; her calm face had a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she examined all the baby items that overflowed the magazine. "So, Rukia? How long are you planning at staring at me?"

I hadn't noticed I had even been staring that long. "Eh, uh, Hisana? I was just going to ask if.."

"You could go to Ichigo's.?"

"I-I-I …um," I had to clear my throat before continuing, "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Simple guess."

"Sisters know all."

Hisana chuckled at me, "You can go." I smiled and raced back to my room, but not before thanking Hisana.

When I had reached my room I took out every single outfit that said, 'IMPORTANT'. I stared at the clothing for what seemed like days. There was really only three that said important without saying business. A crimson read dress I had worn to one of Byakuya's office party things, a white dress that glittered when hit by direct sunlight and a blue dress that fell to my knees and went well with a small black jacket. It wasn't anything flashy, it was cute but I just didn't know.

My phone rang at that moment, making me slightly jump. I ran towards and saw a text message from the single person who had put me in the position I was in right now.

_'Jeans and a t-shirt will be fine.'_

That text was like a life saver. I grabbed my favorite pair of jeans and threw on a black spaghetti strapped shirt that l would cover with a blue and gray stripped shirt that went to my elbows and had four medium sized buttons. I smiled and the comfortable quality.

"Rukia! Come on, I'm going to the store I'll drive you to Ichigo's on the way." I heard Hisana call from down stairs.

Glancing at the clock that read 6:20 I whispered a short, "Good timing." And ran down to my sister. "Hey, should you even be going to the store by yourself?"

"I just need some ice cream." Hisana waved it off like a bug. "So, in the car we go. Off to Ichigo's we drive." I laughed at her as we buckled in. "Buckled in? Yes? Good. LET'S GO!"

Hisana stomped on the gas pedal and raced to Ichigo's sharply missing hundreds of cars and drifting every corner. She stomped on the brake, and I lunged forward and then swung back towards the seat, losing my breath. I looked at the dash board and saw that the eight minute drive became a forty second one. I got out and wobbled a bit. I turned to Hisana, who was smiling up at me.

"You.. I-I-I think… need to drive back home …w-w-without going over for.. scratch that.. thirty miles an hour and actually use the brake when turning."

He face Instantly fell into a frown, "What about ice cream?"

"Have Byakuya get it, that is what a husband is for!" I told her.

"Fine,fine." I saw her foot lift up.

"Hisana." I said sternly, I shut the car door and saw her sigh frustrated. She slowly began to her journey home. At least I hoped.

"Now that I think about it, does she even have her drivers license?" Shrugging I turned and head for the door. I knocked and stepped to the side of the door.

And without missing a beat Isshin Kurosaki came straight through the door, arms open to hug but made contact with open air and then the concrete ground. "Hi, Isshin." I greeted as I walked though the now opened door. Ichigo and his sisters were seated in the living room all smiling, all laughing.

I walked in slowly. Yuzu noticed me first.

"RUKIA!" The youngest smiled and ran to me.

"Yuzu." I smiled and hugged her when she reached me. Yuzu grabbed my hand and led me to sit next to Ichigo. I high fived Karin and just looked at Ichigo. "So, the importance of thi…"

"You see soon enough." As the words fell from his mouth I heard the small sound of feet coming down the stairs of the house. I looked towards the door and Isshin was still weeping on the concrete floor. My heart quickened at the thought of an unknown visitor. Everyone stood and I followed. Ichigo grabbed my hand and ever so slowly began to turn me around.

At the base of the stairs stood the source of the recent sound, there stood a beautiful woman with hair that was as fair as Yuzu's but hers was so much more, longer. Her face was in a smile that could light up New York City and her eyes held nothing but happiness. She wore a long skirt and a shirt that would resemble mothers from television shows.

"Rukia, I want you to meet my mother." He said and, still hand in hand, he brought me slowly towards his mother.

"Hello, Mrs. Kurosaki." I hesitantly said and smiled.

She laughed a small little laugh, a laugh that could warm the heart of the most hate filled person. "Hello, Rukia, Ichigo and Yuzu have said so much about you. Please call me Masaki."

I blushed at hearing that I was talked about at the Kurosaki household, "Oh, uh, okay.. Masaki."

"Better." She said as she hugged me. I hugged her back and smiled. Her hug seemed so comforting. She pulled back and held me at arm's length. "Well, Ichigo was right, you're beautiful." My eyes darted to Ichigo just in time to see his cheeks burn a bright cherry red.

"Gah, Mom! I NEVER SAID THAT!" He said devensivly.

Masaki looked over at Ichigo for a second than sighed, "Oh, correct it was Yuzu who said that." She hugged me and before pulling away whispered, "It was Ichigo not Yuzu."

I giggled at her, she seemed so open and free hearted. "MOM! DID YOU WHISPER SOMETHING?"

"Course not, Ichigo. Let's sit for dinner." Everyone nodded at the Kurosaki wife and mother. We took assigned seats at the table, courtesy of Yuzu, again. Karin and Masaki helped serve and I just watched , whenever I tried to offer help Masaki would say, "Rukia, your our guest. You just relax." So, I sat and examined.

Shortly into my examination I noticed that whenever any of the family members eyes fell on Masaki, they instantly smiled.

When everyone one was served and seated Masaki made small thanks to Yuzu for helping her cook and to me for coming. After, we finally got to eat. The first bite I took was absolutely delicious, I had to suppress a moan from escaping my lips. "Masaki! Yuzu! This is so delicious, thank you so much."

The two girls looked at each other and started laughing. "Thank you, Rukia." They said together.

"MY WIFE THIS MEAL IS SO DELICIOUS! ONE OF YOUR BEST!"

"You say that about every meal, Dad." Karin simply stated. The table began laughing at the older of the twins.

This family. Every single member was so different from the next, yet, they all seemed to fit so well together.

"THIRD DAUGHTER EXPLAIN HOW YOU AND ICHIGO'S FIRST KISS WENT!" I blushed at the small accident that happened back in America but started laughing all the same.

They seem to except me, as one of their own.

"Ichigo, you better protect her from creeps and things." Yuzu said to her elder brother.

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first seven thousand times." Ichigo chuckled at his worried little sister. Dinner had gone amazing.

So much so, that we had all spent half an hour after we finished eating planning another dinner where we'd invite Hisana and Byakuya to meet Masaki.

"Bye, Rukia, See you next week." Said women smiled and hugged me farewell.

"Maybe even sooner, Masaki."

"See you, Rukia!" Karin said from half way up the stairs.

"See you, Karin!"

Yuzu wordlessly ran up to me and hugged me and waved goodbye. I looked at her face questioning, when Ichigo shouted, "Yuzu, are you sneaking cookies!" She turned from her spot and looked at her brother and shrugged and began back to running up the stairs. I laughed, mainly, because that's not something I could see the younger twin doing. "Well, we better getting going so Rukia can get home before it's too late. See you." Ichigo and I made our way out.

I knew Byakuya was going to be working super late tonight and there was no way I was calling Hisana to come pick me up. I only had the option to walk and Ichigo's family was not going to let me walk home at night by myself. So, the whole family volunteered Ichigo to walk me home.

Ichigo argued about Isshin just driving me home but Isshin said it was the perfect setting to have some 'alone time'.

After arguing for continually for twenty minutes, Ichigo gave up.

So here we were walking to my home. The first few minutes were in complete awkwardness. I thanked god when Ichigo finally broke the silence that was surrounding us. "My mom really loves you."

"You think so?" I asked as a small blush crept up my face.

He looked down at me and smiled, "No," He said, bluntly. His face went extremely straight and it made my face drop, "I know so, she told me before we left." I sighed.

"Oh." Relieved that I wasn't hated by the most important family member, I smiled. I remember some of the first words Masaki Kurosaki said to me, "So, Ichigo, do you really think I'm beautiful?"

His face flushed and he turned away. "What! Of course not! I'd never think that! It's so farfetched. Please, _me_ think _your _**beautiful**, psh. Nope."

"Are you convincing me or you?" I questioned the stuttering man, "I've heard the more someone rejects something the more they're trying to deny the fact its true." He looked anywhere but me. I laughed at his child like actions. It was too cute to not make fun of. "Aw, admit it, Ichigo!" I poked him in the side and ran around him when he tried to grab my hand.

"I have nothing to admit to!" He glared.

"Ichigo, you think I'm beautiful." I laughed aloud. "ICHIGO KUROSAKI THINKS RUKIA KUCHIKI IS BEAUTIFUL."

"You're pretty loud for Midget."

I stopped in my tracks. "What?"

"Oh, are you offended."

I began walking a head of him, and backwards. "You know you're a rea-" Walking backwards was probably a stupid idea. I had walked straight into someone nearly knocked them over. I turned forward and immediately apologized. "Oh, I am so sorry." I looked at the figure that was slightly hidden in the shadows.

"Oh, don't worry Rukia." The said figure said as he stepped into the light of the street lamp.

"How do yo..?" I gasped at the face I saw. The man that was standing in front me instantly brought fearful tears to my eyes. I stared wide at him and let the name fall from my lips. "Father."

* * *

**ERROR.! ERROR.! ERROR.!  
**Okay, when I finished this I didn't even like try and edit it, I just yeah, didn't.! I'm such a failure.! Anyways..

Aizawa Ayumu: Yeah, hows the sweetness in here.? Eh, it'll get fluffier in the future I PROMISE.! D: DON'T LEAVE ME.! Please keep reading :)  
glon morski: I'm sorry if your part didn't come out the way it did but I such when I lack inspiration :( So so so sorry.! Your idea was just so good and I failed.! How was it, though.?  
Experimentnumber628: I'm sorry I didn't get your OC in here.! I will definitely get you in somewhere in the next chapter or in the one after it. One or the other.! PROMISE.  
wonderthewice: Thank you for your support:) I would've never finished this chapter without you.! I love you.  
falconrukichi: Aha, sorry I made yo wait on a cliffy like that.! I won't do it again:) Or atleast I'll try.  
Rukes: I'm sorry I didn't update ASAP.! D: I'm horrible, sorry.! I hope this chapter was satisfying.  
Theoracle-san: You were the only one to atleast have guessed Yoruichi as the letter writer:) Bwahaha, and thank you for saying my long chapter was awesome.! Haha, hope you enjoyed.

Okay, so to ensue that I will never make you wait.! I have set times to write and stuff:) I will always update from now on. on Sundays around 8 or 9 :D  
So always expect it then.!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do for the next chapter.? So no preview I guess.! D:  
See you next week:)

Xoxo,

Personal Riot


	9. Well, You Built Up A World Of Magic

This is a sad excuse of an update. I can't even explain how sorry I am x.x I know you probably all hate me because I am a liar and ...a liar.! But School is evil and what not so che, gah. Thanks to everyone who reviewed D': I feel like crying because I am such a horrible person. Here's the next chapter... D:

_**

* * *

Previously:**_

_"Oh, don't worry Rukia." The said figure said as he stepped into the light of the street lamp._

_"How do yo..?" I gasped at the face I saw. The man that was standing in front me instantly brought fearful tears to my eyes. I stared wide at him and let the name fall from my lips. "Father."_

"I was so afraid you'd forget my face, dear daughter." The man who was identified as Rukia's father stood in front of us.

Though, I had only heard stories of the said man it was still easy to see the resemblance between the two. His hair was shoulder length and his deep blue eyes were the same shade of Rukia's.

As I examined I almost missed when he reached out to grab the small woman at my side. I glared at the hand that was heading towards her. My feet moved of their own accord as my frame now was a wall between father and daughter.

"Boy, I'd suggest you do not mingle in my family affairs."

"And I'd suggest you don't touch Rukia." I glared at him. He was clearly a few inched taller than me but that had no affect on me. I was not afraid to protect Rukia. Her so called 'father' would not scare me.

He looked down at me with a small smirk on his face. "Why it is a mere family reunion between long lost father and daughter. Move, boy, or I will not hesitate to move you myself." His frame stood tall and as if he was God himself. His figure would probably be much more intimidating to any other person. But I am not any other person. I put my arm behind me and placed a gentle hand on Rukia's arm. She stepped slightly closer to me and I felt her place one of her hands on my back. Her fingers gripped tightly on to my shirt.

"Ic-"

"Rukia, I want you to go back home and get some help." I told her sternly. My eyes never leaving her father, a deadly glare set onto my face.

The small woman behind me hesitated at first but she softly let go of my shirt and I heard the pounding of feet on the concrete as she took off.

"Why dear boy, Why did you send my daughter away?" He stepped closer to me and then his feet began a small trail around me. "I really have missed her so." His eyes traveled my body. "Why are you so protective of her?"

"How did you even find us?"

"Us. Hmm, I wasn't looking for you, just my dear Rukia. I see no reason for you to be even in this small picture." He stopped his circle and placed both hands in his pockets. "Are you in love with my daughter? Is that possible?" A dark chuckle passed his lips. "I never thought someone like my worthless daughter could be even remotely close to being _loved."_

My hands clenched at his worlds, "RUKIA IS EASY TOO LOVE!" The sentence left my mouth before I could even think about it. I didn't regret saying it but I probably shouldn't have yelled it at Rukia's more than psychotic father.

"Che, I'm so sure." His voice was weighted down with sarcasm. "You'll be lovable and useful to me soon enough." He turned his back to me and began to take steps away.

"WAIT ONE DAMN MINUTE!" I grabbed his shoulder to halt him. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO PLAN THAT ENVOLVES RUKIA?"

His head looked over his shoulder and his eye showed death. "Did I ever permit you to touch me?"

In the blink of an eye he was facing my and something was pointed at me. No. Not pointed. In me. I looked down to see his long rough fingers wrapped around some handle.  
A small couch came up my throat along with a thick red liquid.

* * *

"JUST PLEASE HURRY!" I was already waiting impatiently for Isshin to get outside. I bounced on my feet as if it would make him hurry.

Once the older Kurosaki had locked the door, I ran. I knew he could easily keep up and he knew I was in no way or form patient enough for him slow me down. I ran the length of what Ichigo and I had walked and when I didn't see either men there I began to panic. I stopped at where we had been standing when my father had shown up. My eye searched and searched for a mop of orange hair. My eyesight became blurred and my throat clogged up. Where were they?

"I-Ichigo?" I whispered. I looked down and a small amount of blood was gathered at my feet. My whole body became frantic. "ICHIGO!"

"Rukia calm down." Isshin's voice came from behind me, I deliberately ignored him.

"ICHIGO! ICHIGO!"

"Why are you screaming so much, Midget?" I heard a low rough voice come from the shadows of an alley mere feet from me.

My feet ran into the darkness. Ichigo was there, leaned up against a wall. His hand was resting over his stomach where his shirt was drenched in blood. He looked up at me with a sad smirk and I looked down at him. "Ichigo." I fell to my knees and cried my hands hovered over him. Wanting to fix everything but to scared to touch. My tears spilled over and I began to sob an apology. "I-I-Ichigo, I am SO sorry."

"Rukia," I looked up and our eyes locked. "I got hurt protecting you, it was worth it. I could never live if something happened to you."

_Was that suppose to make it better?_

"Your …s-such an idiot." His hand found my face and caressed my cheek gently.

"I know."

With that we heard sirens in the background, nearing closer. It wasn't fair that my father randomly came to Karakura. Life was beginning to be a hell of a lot better. And it all began with Ichigo. I am more happy here then I have ever been at any other place. Next time _I_ will protect Ichigo.

As I watched Ichigo's body be lifted into the ambulance and as people passed by me, I kept thinking of that one sentence he said.

_I could never live if something happened to you._

Really, Ichigo your such and idiot.

* * *

If you actually are STILL reading this make sure to thank Wonder because she was the only one who wouldn't get of my back until I updated x.x Again SORRY.

I am so upset with myself that I can't even reply to your reviews :'\ That I don't even deserve D:


	10. Last Night, Good Night

Well, considering Chapter 9 was only updated like two hours before this one and I kind of hated it. AND I feel bad for not updating fast, I wrote this chapter too.! Not much long but THERE SHALL BE A LOT MORE FLUFF IN THIS CHAPTER.!

And Hello, Mr. OC.! :'] Haha, SO ENJOY.! Tell me what you think.! And Wonder, Experimentnumber628.? I love you guys.! Here you are.! Two updates in ONE DAY.!

* * *

It's been several days since Ichigo was wounded by the man I hated most. The first few days were super hard. I refused to go home, my actually home that had my brother and sister, so Hisana brought over clothes and such. I was sleeping in Ichigo's room, him being in the hospital.

The stab was pretty deep and Ichigo had to have a small surgery. I hadn't left the hospital until I was informed that he was going to be perfectly fine. After that Isshin drove me home, where Yuzu and Karin and Misaki were. No one said a word to me. I went straight to Ichigo's room and cried myself to sleep. Misaki woke me up the next morning and we talked. She was so radiant that it was hard not to feel better after being in her presences. We had talked about school, books, shows, and a lot of other random things but there was one conversation that had been the most opening though when we talked.

"_Hey, Rukia?"_

"_Yes, Misaki?"_

_Misaki's fragile hands wrapped around mine. They gave a light squeeze and then her soft eyes looked up at me. "There is something I have been wondering as of late."_

_I kept my gaze on her but stayed silent. I gave her a small nod to let her know she could continue.  
"Are you in love with my son?"_

_When her sentence finished my face burned up. My eyes began to wonder and looked anywhere but at the mother in front of me. "Aha," I laughed nervously. I looked at my watch and came up with a excuse to leave in my head. I kept thinking '_Think, Rukia. Think.'_ Then I just stood up and said, "Oh, dear. I should go …and see my sister. Sorry, Misaki. See you later!"_

_I ran fast not to my house but just anywhere._

I let myself sigh deeply. It was so boring going to school and seeing no Ichigo. But luckily, he was being release in the next two or three days. I smiled, finally. I get to see him in regular clothes and not that sickly hospital clothes. He'll be up and about and not laying in those stark white sheets, that made him look pale and even more sickly.

"Oh, RUKIA!"

The worst part of Ichigo being in the hospital…

"Hi, Orihime."

Was _her._

She walked by my side half way home, "So, where are you going?" She questioned.

Can't you just shut up?

"Um, I was going to …" I can't say I was going home to the Kurosaki's then she'd make an excuse to stay with me. What to do we were getting ready to cross a street. Sadly, it was fairly empty. The cross walk was seconds from changing to the walk sign. It was also where I turn right to go to my house or keep going straight to go to Ichigo's. As I thought of how to get Orihime of my trail, a pale man approached the other side. He was no more than 6'2". He wore tan pants and under the unzipped jacket was nicely designed Hawaiian shirt. His gaze, which was covered by glasses, was down cast. The wind blew his dirty blonde hair into a tangled mess. "Meet up with my friend."

"Really who?"

My finger pointed to the nameless person that stood a mere twenty feet from us. "That guy over there, uh huh! I haven't seen him in ages." I smiled, hoping I was being convincing. "You know, he's been my best friend for … a long while."

"Didn't you just move here?" Orihime question. As dimwitted she could be, she caught a few things now and then.

"Ah, yes , yes. You see, we used to live in Tokyo next to each other and so on so forth. Then, he moved here and I never heard from him again."

"Then how'd you guys find eachother?"

That got me stuck for a second. "friend finder um, dot com?"

"But.."

The light, thankfully, changed to allow me to cross the street. "Bye, Orihime!" I waved but she sadly followed. I speed up, too reach the man before she got to close. I said loud enough to hear, "Hey, best friend."

The Hawaiian shirt man looked at me, questionly. I motioned for him to bend down to my height so I could whisper in his ear. "Dude, seriously, help me. I need to get this chick off my trail. So, can you pretend to be my best friend for a while?" He looked at me and shrugged. I took it as a yes, "Rukia."

"Matthew."

Just then Orihime had caught up with me. "Rukia, you took off like crazy! Did you really miss him that much? You didn't even tell me his name."

"Oh, yeah. You know how it is when you see old friends. Anyway this is my dear childhood friend Michael."

"Matthew."

"Matthew." I quickly corrected. "Ahah, when I was younger I called him Michael because.." My brain just wouldn't let anymore ideas process. "Well, look at the time, we need to go." I said grabbing Matthew's wrist.

"Go where?" The dirty blonde asked me.

I laughed a bit nervously, "Aha, anywhere but here." I said between my teeth. "BYE BYE, ORIHIME!"

She seemed a little shocked and made a small wave, "Uh, by nice to meet you, Matt."

He nodded back at her, once her back was turned to me I dropped Matthew's wrist and stopped, letting out a relieve sigh.

His deep voice brought me back to reality, "So can I have an explaination?"

I looked up at him and shrugged. "I guess you deserve one." I turned to him, "She is some girl from my school who is constantly nagging me because of this guy."

"Boyfriend."

My cheeks instantly flushed. "U-uh, n-n-not exactly, ahaha."

His eyes examined me and I could tell he was analyzing the truth of my answer. When he seemed satisfied with his hypothesis, that he kept in his head, he asked another question. "Want to get some food?"

"Hm, maybe another time, I really need to get home. I was supposed to be back a while ago." I smiled at him as I started to back down the way we just came. "It was nice meeting you. Maybe we can run into each other again, and you can save me from hells clutch!"

"Sure!" He laughed as I ran off.

I ran all the way back home. I didn't want to accidentally run into Orihime again and half to come up with a reason of why I left my 'best friend' so soon. Eventually, I made it home and stepped through the door. "I'm home." I shouted not really expecting anyone home. I began to journey up to 'my' bedroom when I was caught around the waist, I almost screamed when I heard a voice that was like honey to my ears.

"Mind telling my why your clothes are scattered around my room?"

I turned in his grasp, just to make sure it was really truly him. My eyes automatically teared up. "Ichigo!" I smiled. His returned with his own smile that made my heart shine.

And without truly thinking my hands found their way to his cheeks and I pulled his face closer. With gentleness, we kissed. It was slow and soft and seemed to move my whole being. It was no short kiss either. It lasted for an eternity in my mind, but it only ended because the sound of a key twisting the locked door made us jump apart.

My cheeks were as bright as a fresh red apple, I could feel the heat all across my face. I glanced at Ichigo, his was no different. He looked at me and smiled that beautiful genuine smile that I loved so much.

_Are you in love with my son?_

He grabbed my hand and before the door was open we were halfway up the stairs.

When we reached his room he silently shut the door behind him and stood, leaning against it. He waited for any noise down stairs to stop and for anyone who was going to their room, to pass.

It was a good seven minute wait.

When Ichigo felt it was safe, he brought me to his bed and we laid there, still as dolls. Our eyes would either connect with each other or stare at the ceiling.

"Ichigo?" When I said his name I thought he'd respond fairly quickly but it was silent. Nothing. I turned my head towards him. "Ich…"

His lips covered mine. Soft and sweet just like before. Except this one, was so much more shorter. It was no longer than fifteen seconds before he broke away. "Rukia, I need to tell you something. Something so important the world depends on your reply."

"And what would that be?"

He opened his eyes that were softly shut and looked into mine, it was like looking into burnt amber. It was beautiful, "Rukia Kuchiki in the smallest amount of time you have wedge your way into the most sensitive part of my heart. Being without you makes my heart ache. And I will not be ashamed to say that I am without a doubt, one hundred percent in love with you. I love you. Do you love me?"

I looked at him in all seriousness. But his eyes looked so fragile it was as if even one wrong word would shatter it. "Ichigo Kurosaki."

He didn't reply he just kept staring.

"I love you, too."

His face broke into a giant grin which had me smiling just as big. He kissed my cheek, my nose, my eyelids, and finally, my lips. With sentiment and value. Sweetness and Gentleness. Passion and love. It was just perfect after out small trip to hell. It was absolutely perfect.

So, until we fell asleep we kissed. Small, short pecks. Long, love filled kisses and anything in between.

This beautiful revelation has let my heart swim openly in the hands of some extremely close to perfection.


End file.
